Safe Food Prep Tips
5th November 2006
- Don’t partially cook or heat perishable foods and then set them aside or refrigerate to finish cooking later. During cooking, food may not reach a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria.
- Keep cooked food hot, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Don’t allow cold foods to stand at room temperature for more than 2 hours, including prep time. Keeping cold foods cold means keeping them at 40ºF or lower.
- Reheat leftovers, stirring often, until steaming hot (165ºF). Heat soups, sauces and gravies to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, before serving.
- Throw away food that looks or smells bad—bacteria that cause food to spoil can grow at refrigerator temperatures (between 34 ºF and 40ºF).
- Use separate, dishwasher-safe cutting boards for meats, poultry and fish.
- Use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure temperature is between 35ºF and 40ºF. Use a freezer thermometer to confirm a freezer temperature of 0ºF or colder. If your electricity fails, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed to protect food up to 2 days.
- When cleaning your refrigerator or freezer, pack perishables in a cooler with freezer packs or filled with ice.
- Never thaw foods at room temperature—thaw only in the refrigerator or microwave. Cook microwave-thawed food immediately.
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