The restaurant, food and wine industry are following certain guidelines when it comes to proper food handling for the health and safety of their consumers. When it reaches the consumers, proper information should be disseminated for better food handling and to prevent foodborne illnesses. In this post, we are going to lay out to you guidelines on Basic Food Handling specifically on shopping, storage, and thawing.

Basic Food Safety

Four Essential Steps to Help Keep Food Safe

You can’t exactly figure out harmful bacteria that may result in sickness because they are invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, when it comes to food handling, it is always at its best to handle, cook, and store food in the safest way possible to prevent foodborne sickness. In every single phase of preparing food, adhere to the four steps provided by the Food Safe Families program to help keep food safe. For more information on food safety, you may seek advice from institutions like Health and Safety Consultants Manchester.

  • Clean – Wash surfaces and hands often especially during the process of food preparation.
  • Separate – Avoid cross-contamination. Separate food that is spoiled from fresh foods.
  • Cook – Food should be cooked at the right temperature all the time.
  • Chill – Refrigerate any frozen foods as soon as you get them out of the grocery store or market.

Shopping

When shopping, there are few guidelines to follow. Protect your family by choosing foods properly from the market or grocery stores. Here are some guidelines to follow while shopping.

  • Buy chilled or frozen goods following choosing your non-perishable items.
  • Do not pick poultry or meat in torn packages. Avoid leaking packages.
  • Never purchase foods past expiration dates.

Storage

It is important to properly store food items especially meat and poultry, or other frozen products.

  • Promptly keep perishable foods frozen within 2 hours-1 hour. As soon as perishables had been purchased, promptly refrigerate if it will not be cooked within the day.
  • Check out the temp of your freezer and your refrigerator often. Use an appliance thermometer. The freezer should be at 0 °F or -17.7 ºC or below. The fridge must be at 40 °F or 4.4 ºC or below.
  • Freeze or cook fresh fish, poultry, ground meats, and selection meats within just Two days; various other meats like pork, beef, veal, and lamb within 3 to 5 days.
  • Perishable food like poultry and meat must be wrapped safely and securely to keep good quality and also to prevent it from leaking to other food items.
  • To keep good quality when freezing poultry and meat with original package, use plastic wrap or foil advised for the freezer. Wrap the packaging again.
  • Keep canned goods safe for consumption. Do not expose them to freezing temperatures, temps above 90 °F. If the canned packaging look good, they are safe for consumption. Dispose of canned goods that are swollen, rusting, or dented. High-acid canned goods such as tomatoes and fruits are at best for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned goods such as meats and vegetables are good for 2 to 5 years.

Thawing

When you thaw your food out from its freezing point, make sure to cook the food immediately. Do not re-freeze thawed foods.

  • Fridge: The refrigerator permits gradual, safe thawing. Ensure thawing poultry and meat juices will not leak on other food items.
  • Cold Water: For quicker thawing, put food in a plastic bag (leak-proof). Immerse in cold water. Replace the water just about every Half an hour. Cook soon after thawing.
  • Microwave: Cook meat and poultry right away soon after microwave thawing.