Safe Recipe Style Guide for Video Content Creators

Take your recipe videos to the next level!

Multiple studies show that when people follow recipes that include basic food safety instructions, they significantly increase food safety behaviors¹.

For example, handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Studies^2,3 have shown that handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections.

Recipe videos that include food safety prompts will help prevent food poisoning! Food poisoning disproportionately affects young children and people who are at higher risk of foodborne illness. That might be a young child, an elderly person, a pregnant family member or a loved one with a chronic underlying health condition, like diabetes.

The Safe Recipe Style Guide takes you through the steps needed to add food safety prompts to written recipes. Use this handy guide to add those food safety steps into recipe videos.

Here you can find a library of food safety stock images and videos to include in your recipes. Below are examples of how to use the images with the guide.

Safe Recipe Style Guide

These are the safety prompts from the Safe Recipe style guide that should be included in both written recipes and videos.

Written Food Safety Prompt

Temperature:

Cook until internal temperature reaches XX (fill in the blank and include chart with specific foods) on food thermometer.

Video Example

Hand Washing:

Wash hands with soap and water. (Include this at beginning of recipe and after each touch of raw meats, poultry, seafood or eggs.)

Cross Contamination:

Wash (insert cutting board, counter, utensil, serving plate) after touching raw meats, poultry, seafood or eggs.

Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods.

Do not rinse raw poultry or meat.

Produce:

Gently rub produce under cold running water.

Scrub firm produce with a clean vegetable brush under running water.

Baking:

Do not eat raw dough or batter.

Looking for stock footage? Click here to see the list of downloadable video clips and images you can use!

Steps to creating your own Safe Recipes on video

These safety prompts from the Safe Recipe Style Guide should be included in both written and video recipes.

Here we provide guidance on using a combination of hands-and-pans video clips AND on-screen text to create a video that meets the standard of the Safe Recipe Style Guide (saferecipeguide.org).

Before you begin:

Review your written recipe and add the food safety instructions above.
When creating a video script or outline, be sure to include a list of the necessary food safety steps and when you’ll shoot them.

On the day of recording:

Before you begin cooking, check the Food Safety Image Library for free stock photos or video clips you can edit into your video.
If you prefer to use your own video or stock images, record:
- Handwashing. This will need to be added at the beginning of the recipe and again after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs
- Produce rinsing (include using the vegetable brush, when appropriate)
- Washing the cutting board and knives
While you’re preparing the recipe, record:
- Using the food thermometer
- Disposal of marinades used for raw meats, poultry or seafood

During editing:

Edit your food safety shots into the appropriate points of your video, using your recipe and script as a guide.
Add text for clarification:
- Cook until internal temperature reads ___°F (link to temperature chart)
- Wash hands with soap and water after handing raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs
- Do not rinse raw poultry or meat

When you post:

Be sure to include the updated written recipe with food safety prompts.
When posting on social, tag us on Instagram @safe.recipes!

ProTip: You will be more efficient when you use stock footage of handwashing with soap and water; rinsing produce; and washing knives/cutting boards that can be used in all of your cooking videos. Click here for an example of what a video with food safety steps looks like.

Thank you to everyone who helped in the development of the Food Safety Style Guide for Video Creators and the Food Safety Image Library!

Alex Connett, Foodist Films

Shauna C. Henley, PhD, University of Maryland & PFSE Board of Directors

Lynn James, MS, RDN, LDN, Pennsylvania State University Extension

Annette Lawler, MS, CFCS, CNWE, Purdue University Extension

Sharon McDonald, MEd, RD, LDN, University of Pennsylvania Extension

Jennifer J. Quinlan, PhD, Drexel University & PFSE Board of Directors

Raeanne Sarazen, Food & Nutrition Communicator, MA, RD

Kathy Savoie, MS, RD., University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Wenqing Xu, PhD, Louisiana State University AgExtension

References:

Journal of Food Protection 2016 Aug, 79(8):1436-9, Recipe Modification Improves Food Safety Practices during Cooking of Poultry. Maughan C, Godwin S, Chambers D, Chambers E IV.
Ejemot RI, Ehiri JE, Meremikwu MM, Critchley JA. Hand washing for preventing diarrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;1:CD004265.
Rabie T and Curtis V. Handwashing and risk of respiratory infections: a quantitative systematic review.Trop Med Int Health. 2006 Mar;11(3):258-67.