Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often

Germs can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, countertops and food. Washing and cleaning hands and surfaces reduces the presence of germs, reducing your chances of getting sick.

Tips:

• Wash your hands before handling food. If soap and water are unavailable, use hand sanitizer.
• Clean cutting boards and surfaces after each use
• Rinse produce under running water
• Use clean cloths and sponges
• To learn more about food safety practices, visit fightbac.org.

The least you can do:

Washing hands for 20 seconds before and after preparing your meal, helps remove harmful bacteria. If water and soap is unavailable use hand sanitizer.

Separate: Keep Foods Away from Germs

Cross-contamination is when a food touches another food (or the juices spread onto the food). This is how germs spread and can create illness. Preparing fresh produce next to raw proteins can lead to cross contamination.

Tips:

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator.
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood. 
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.
• To learn more about food safety practices, visit fightbac.org.

The least you can do:

Keep raw meat away from fresh produce.

Cook: Check the Temp not the Time

You know when food is done and ready to eat when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful germs that cause food poisoning. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. 

Be sure to follow package instructions as heating guidelines vary by product and type of food.

Tips:

• If using an air fryer or other kitchen appliances, use a food thermometer to know when it is ready to eat instead of the timer. Time and color don’t always cook food thoroughly.
• Cook roasts and steaks to a minimum of 145 °F. 
• Cook poultry to a minimum of 165 °F. 
• Cook ground meat to at least 160 °F. 
• Cook eggs and dishes containing eggs to 160 °F. Avoid recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked.
• Cook fish to 145 °F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. 
• Heat leftovers thoroughly to 165 °F.
• When in doubt, follow package instructions for guidance.
• To learn more about food safety practices, visit fightbac.org.

The least you can do:

Use a food thermometer to determine when your food is ready to eat instead of time and color.

Chill: Make it Last Longer 

Cold temperatures at 40 °F or below slow the growth of harmful germs, so refrigerate or freeze foods quickly. Some fridges aren’t set to the right temperature – use an allipance thermometer to make sure your fridge  is 40 °F or below and your freezer at 0 °F or below.

Germs that can cause illness grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40 °F and 140 °F after two hours (one hour in 90°F+). So Refrigerate or freeze food as soon as you get home from the store, the restaurant, or from your food delivery.

• Put food away, in shallow containers within two hours (one hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
• Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing, so avoid the counter at room temperature. There are three safe ways to thaw food: (1) in the refrigerator, (2) in cold water, and (3) in the microwave.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
• When in doubt, follow package instructions for guidance on how to store food after consuming.
• To learn more about food safety practices, visit fightbac.org.

The least you can do:

Refrigerate or freeze your food quickly- after a trip to the store or restaurant, or from delivered foods, or from a party.