Guidelines For Food Safety
The risk of getting sick form food that is improperly prepared or cook is serious. It can cause many symptoms from upset stomach,vomiting,headaches to even death. That is way guidelines for food safety have been set up to prevent food borne illnesses. The way that food is stored and prepared has a huge effect on weather or not it will make you ill.Below are a few guidelines for food safety.
Food Preparation Safety
The manner in which for is prepared before it is cooked is crucial to make sure no food borne illness is spread. There are many guidelines for food preparation safety.
- Before you begin prepping make sure your hands are clean. Wash them for at least twenty seconds. You can sing Happy Birthday twice that is about twenty seconds. Use warm water and anti-bacterial soap.
- Make sure all counters and other prep areas are clean before you begin.
- Cross contamination is a big problem. Never put raw meat near other foods.
- Once you have finished preparing the raw meat clean up the entire area,utensils and cutting boards that were used. The best way to kill the germs is to use a bleach and water solution. Wipe down all counter tops with this just to be sure all the germs are dead.
- Never use the same knife on different foods this is the quickest way to cause cross contamination.
- If the meat is frozen and needs to be thawed there are several safe ways to do it. First you can thaw it out in the refrigerator over night. Put it in a leak proof dish and make sure it is not touching any other foods. If that didn't thaw it out all the way you can fill your sink up with cold water and submerge the meat. You must change the water at least ever half hour to be sure it is still cold. Both of these methods will take a few hours. There is a third way that is much shorter and that is to defrost it in the microwave. The meat must be cook as soon as it is done defrosting in the microwave or you risk bacteria growing.
Guidelines For Cooking Food Safety
Be sure to always take the proper safety precautions when preparing food. There is no room for error when it comes to cooking a meal. Food that is under cooked or prepared wrong can make you or others that eat it extremely ill. The guidelines for food safety are easy to follow once you know them and can save you alot of pain and trouble by taking the time to learn and follow them correctly.
Food Prepartion Tips to Remember
- Personal Hygiene - Employees should always make their best effort to practice good personal hygiene. This includes: Frequent hand-washing. Bacteria is the enemy!.
- Temperature Control Prevent bacteria growth by storing food at proper temperatures. Likewise, prepare foods at the proper temperatures.
- Cleanliness Not just yourself, but also your station! Food preparation areas, equipment, and utensils - All count as part of your station! They should all always be kept clean and free of contaminants. The danger, prevent cross-contamination.
- Pest control Eek! Bugs! Not just unfun for customers. Always prepare the proper measures to prevent and control pests, including rodents and vermin in any food preparation area!
- Food Sourcing Source food from reputable suppliers! Inspect it for signs of spoilage. Inspect for signs of contamination. Do these things before using or serving!