4 Simple Steps for Food Preparation

Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on the next food. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running tap water including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Use a food thermometer you can't tell food is cooked safely by how it looks. Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that causes illness. Refer to the temperature chart e.g. Bigger portions of meat take longer time to be fully cooked. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood apart from other food items in your grocery cart.

Food Safety is our priority

Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry and seafood and another one for salads and ready-to-eat food. Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in the lowest shelf of the refrigerator and in a container or on a plate to avoid cross contamination. Chill leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours Keep frozen food below (-18C) and chilled food between (0-5 C) Thaw meat, poultry, and seafood in the fridge, not on the counter, and dont overstuff.

10 GOOD FOOD SAFETY HABITS

1. Always read labels properly. Pre-packed foods have expiry date, list of ingredients and handling instructions printed on the labels. 2. Buy chilled and frozen foods at the end of your shopping. Take them home and put them in the fridge or freezer as soon as you can. Buy hot foods at the end of your shopping too and consume them as soon as possible. This will keep the food safe and wholesome. 3. Whenever carrying food outside (whether shopping, for barbecues or picnics) avoid putting it in warm places, e.g. inside the car or under the sun. Its best to use a cool box for perishable foods. 4. Many foods should be stored in the fridge once theyve been opened. Read the label carefully and look for advice for storage instructions. 5. Store raw foods away from other foods, especially cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods (such as salads, fruits, cooked meats, cheeses, bread and sandwiches). Cover all foods in the refrigerator and freezer to protect them from cross contamination.

Best ways to buy your food!

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Keep prepared cold food and dairy products in the fridge between (0-5C). Refrigerate leftovers immediately in small portions to allow them to cool quickly. Reheat required amounts only for the late arrivals of your family members. Never eat food that looks, tastes or smells off, even if the product is within the expiry date. Always throw away any fruit or vegetable that has started to rot and never eat food from rusty or damaged cans, or from leaking packages. Use different chopping boards, trays, utensils and plates when preparing raw food and ready to eat food. If you have only one chopping board wash it well in hot soapy water before reuse

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10. Clean Hands are Safe Hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before eating or preparing food. People with symptoms of food-borne disease should not prepare food for others.

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When you buy food make sure that you:

Canned food: Buy cans and jars that look physically t. Avoid foods in torn packages and check that safety seals are intact. Also, avoid canned foods that are dented, bulged or rusty and those, which have loose lids. Always read labels properly. Pre-packed foods have expiry dates, list of ingredients and handling instructions printed on the packs. Reading the list of ingredients and instructions may help you avoid allergens. Fruits, Vegetables & Greens: Check the characteristic signs of freshness such as bright, tender and fresh-appearing, and good color, and be relatively free from bruises and decay. Buy leaves that are fresh, young, tender, free from defects, and have green color. Also, avoid greens with evidence of insects. Avoid potatoes with green color. Fish Fish should smell fresh and mild, not shy, sour, or ammonia-like. Whole sh and llets should have rm, shiny esh and bright red gills free from slime, and the eyes should be clear and bulge a little. Meat & Poultry Slime formation, bad odour and rancid avour, colour change (such as grey, brown, or green) and sticky texture or very dry meat surface are indicators of quality deterioration. Do not buy meat if you notice any of these indicators. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood sometimes drip. The juices that drip may have germs. Keep these juices away from other foods. Put raw meat, poultry, and seafood into plastic bags before putting them into the cart.

Chilled & Frozen food Chilled food should be kept chilled in refrigerated cabinets or on ice. It should be stored below or behind the load line in open refrigerated cabinets in the supermarket. Frozen food should be solidly frozen without a lot of frost in the package that might indicate some variation in storage temperature, or possible thawing and refreezing. Take Away Food Never buy chilled food from a shop that stores it at room temperature 25C. Food from take-away outlets should be eaten within two hours.

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