Food production - hygiene

 Four simple rules that will help you to stay safe from food-borne illnesses in the kitchen.

Cleaning

• Clean kitchen surfaces after preparing foods; try to 'clean as you go'.
• After handling raw meat, poultry, fish and other raw foods always wash hands, utensils and surfaces thoroughly and before any contact with other food, especially cooked and ready-to-eat foods.

Use the right materials for the job

• Detergents such as washing up liquids are designed to dissolve grease, oil and dirt.
• Disinfectants, such as bleach, are designed to kill germs. These are powerful agents and should not be used indiscriminately.
• Anti-bacterial cleaners are types of disinfectant and can kill germs - they often come in spray form.
• Disinfectants and anti-bacterial cleaners won't work if you don't use them properly, so always follow the instructions.

Do things right

• Use separate buckets and cloths for cleaning floors.
• Give your kitchen a thorough 'spring clean' periodically.
• Always clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease or dirt, then apply disinfectant to kill any remaining germs.
• Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where practicable use disposable cloths. If using them more than once, wash in hot water and soap then place in a suitable disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Do not soak overnight as disinfectant solutions weaken and may allow bacteria to grow.

Cooking

• Follow recipes and label instructions on cooking times and temperatures. Remember to pre-heat the oven properly.
• Check food is piping hot before serving. Double check that sausages, burgers, pork and poultry are cooked right through; they should not be 'rare' or pink in the middle and when pierced with a knife any juices that run out of the meat should be clear, not bloody.
• Don't cook foods too far in advance. Once cooked, keep foods covered and piping hot (above 63°C) until it's time to eat them.
• When using the microwave stir foods and drinks and allow them to stand for a couple of minutes to avoid hot or cold spots.

Cross contamination

• Food poisoning is often caused when harmful bacteria on one food are spread via hands or kitchen utensils to cross-contaminate other foods. Good hygiene helps prevent this.
• Keep raw foods separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food at all times. In particular keep raw meat, fish, poultry and other raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods such as salads, bread and sandwiches. Never put cooked food on a plate which has previously held raw foods until it has been thoroughly washed.
• Ideally use separate chopping boards for raw and cooked foods.
• Wash hands after handling raw foods and before touching other foods and utensils.

Chilling

• Do not put hot food directly into the fridge or freezer, let it cool sufficiently first; but remember that cooling should be completed within one or two hours after cooking.
• To speed cooling divide foods into smaller portions, place in a wide dish and stand this in a shallow tray of cold water.