Food hygiene is just as important in the home as it is within a professional catering setting, if you aren’t preparing, cooking or storing food correctly you could be putting yourself and other people at risk of food poising and other contagious conditions, including colds, flu, and the dreaded Norovirus. As a home cook do you fully understand food hygiene?
Various studies have shown that our kitchens are the most germ-ridden room in the whole house with the kitchen sink harbouring 100,000 times more germs than the bathroom! With this in mind we have compiled a list of food hygiene essential tips for the home cook.
Cleanliness extends to all aspects of cooking and begins with hand washing. Before preparing any type of food you should ensure your hands are clean as they are the main culprits for spreading germs. Using warm water and soap it is essential that you wash your hands before touching food and during the cooking process when touching raw foods, the trash bin, or going to the bathroom. Next up is the produce you are cooking with; using water clean all fruit and vegetables that will not be peeled as they may have bacteria and harmful pesticides lurking on their surfaces from anything from the soil they were grown in to the hands of the transporters and grocery workers. You do not need to wash raw meat, however, although many people do. This may actually cause more germs to spread as bacteria on the surface of meat can splash back onto your surfaces and sink. Surfaces must also be cleaned before and after preparing foods but beware of cloths and sponges which act as the perfect breeding ground for germs. Regularly clean your kitchen cloths and sponges or use disposable paper towels.
During preparation keep raw and cooked foods, as well as other food groups, separate to prevent cross contamination. Remember, foods can be indirectly as well as directly contaminated; even if you have kept raw and cooked foods apart it is still essential that surfaces, hands, and utensils do not transfer bacteria from raw foods to cooked foods, so keep them clean.
When preparing food use separate plates, utensils and chopping boards for different food groups and wash surfaces and hands when moving on to different food groups. In a catering setting some cooks will often use a colour coded system to highlight which utensils can be used with certain food types.
Cooking food is your chance to kill off any remaining bacteria. Ensure that you are aware of the correct temperature your food should be cooked at and check that it is hot all the way through before consuming. If you are cooking meat it is especially important to check that it is thoroughly cooked throughout; white meats should have no pink flesh left and juices should run clear from the meat when pierced.
Frozen ingredients should be completely defrosted before you begin cooking, unless otherwise stated, to ensure even cooking throughout.
To serve food, use clean plates and do not place cooked foods onto plates or surfaces that raw foods have touched without first cleaning them. Observe the same food hygiene safety with utensils; never use a utensil to handle cooked foods if it has been used previously with raw foods.
Storing leftovers or cooked food intended to be eaten at a later stage in a fridge or freezer is the best way to keep germs at bay, the cold temperatures slow down the production of germs. However, food must be cooled throughout before it is put into the fridge or freezer – food that is put into the fridge or freezer before being cooled then cool unevenly which can cause germs to breed, creating food poisoning. Foods placed in the fridge must be consumed within two days and should only be reheated once.
Cooked and uncooked foods should be kept covered when stored to prevent cross contamination. Food stored in your fridge should be separated into food groups and also cooked and non-cooked foods; store cooked food on higher shelves, above raw foods, as the juices from raw foods could potentially drip down and contaminate cooked foods. Separation is also important upon purchase; place different food groups in separate bags never mix cooked and uncooked foods or frozen with non-frozen items.
By understanding food hygiene you can enjoy food and cooking without the fear of illnesses associated with improper food handling.
Ryan Burch is a member of the team at High Speed Training Ltd, one of Europe’s leading e-learning providers with over 42 high quality online learning products, created in partnership with a specialist company in each relevant field.