1. CLEAN | Always wash your food, hands, counters, and cooking tools.
– Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Do this before and after touching food.
– Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter with hot soapy water. Do this after working with each food item.
– Rinse fruits and veggies!
– Clean the lids on canned goods before opening.
2. SEPARATE | Separate raw meats and eggs from other foods, especially foods like salad that won’t be cooked.
– Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from ready to eat foods. Do this in your shopping cart, bags and fridge.
– Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods unless you bring them to a boil first.
– Use a special cutting board or plate for raw foods only.
3. COOK | Foods need to get hot and stay hot. Heat kills germs.
– Use a food thermometer make sure that food is done. You can’t always tell by looking.
– a) Beef, pork, lamb (chops, roasts, steaks) – 145 F
– b) Fin fish – 145 F
– c) Ground beef, pork, lamb – 160 F
– d) Turkey, chicken, duck (ground and whole) – 165 F
– e) Leftovers and casseroles – 165 F
4. CHILL | Put food in the fridge right away.
2-Hour Rule: Put foods in the fridge or freezer within 2-hours after cooking or buying from the store. Do this within 1-hou it is 90 degrees or hotter outside. Chill foods to 40 F or lower.
– Never thaw food by simply taking it out of the fridge. Always thaw food:
– In the fridge
– Under cold water (change water ever half hour)
– In the microwave (cook immediately after thawing in microwave!).
– Marinade foods in fridge.