From shop to plate

buying, storing, preparing, cooking and serving

Hands

Short and clean nails with no polish, wash wrists, fingertips and thumbs.

cooking mince

cooked thoroughly as outside is combined in mincing.

Ambient temperature

between 17 and 20C.

Defrosting freezer

Defrost freezer once a year to clean and prevent build up of ice.

Temperature probe usage

Disinfect before and after, insert to thickest part, wait to settle before reading.

Danger zone

5C up to 63C, bacteria can multiply

Below 5C

Slow multiplication or not at all

Above 63C

Bacteria cannot multiply, keep hot foods above

Ambient temperature

between 17 and 20C

Reheating and cooking

The safe temp is 75C

Perishable foods

Can be both raw and cooked

Shopping

Keep perishables cold until you get home, insulated cold bags with ice packs

Fridge temp

Below 5C

Eggs

Stored on bottom shelf in box due to bacteria on shells

Spacing

Ensure to leave spaces in between foods to allow for air circulation

Cooling

Ensure food is cooled to room temp before placing in fridge

Reasons to wrap food

Stop it drying out, preventing cross contamination, prevent tainting by strong foods

Shelf order

Ready to eat, raw meat poultry fish (bottom), Salad fruit and veg (salad drawer)

Freezer temp

minus 18C or below

Blanching for freezing

needed for some fruit and veg as enzymes cans till be active

Length in freezer

Can be stored for up to a year unless packaging day otherwise

Defrosting

Defrost freezer once a year to clean and prevent build up of ice

Freezing at home

Use fast freeze to speed up process, wrap and date, store with spaces to allow for air circulation

Best before

Still safe to eat after but may not have optimum flavour and texture

Best before exception

Eggs, do not eat after as unsafe

Use by

Can cause food poisoning if eaten after

Use by foods

Perishable foods and cannot be sold after date

Personal Hygiene

Preventing food poisoning and cross contamination due to spread of bacteria

Hands

Short and clean nails with no polish, wash wrists, fingertips and thumbs

Hand washing

Before prep, touching hair or face, toilet, cough, sneeze, rubbish, raw meat, eating and drinking

Hygiene rules

No cough or sneeze, dont touch head, dont brush hair, coloured waterproof plaster, clean apron, not if unwell

Clean surfaces

Always before prep, prevents too much bacteria, soapy water and clean cloth, antibacterial washing up liquid, antibacterial sprays

Colour coding

Using different chopping boards and knives depending on ingredients to prevent cross contamination

Cross contamination

cooked foods in contact with raw, leads to food poisoning

Cooking mince

cooked thoroughly as outside bacteria is combined in mincing

Cooking meat and poultry

Cooked all the way through to destroy bacteria

Reasons for cooking

Improving taste, improving texture, making safe to eat, killing bacteria

Temperature probe uses

seeing if food is defrosted, checking safe temp, checking ready to serve is still piping, checking reheated food

Temperature probe use

Disinfect before and after, insert to thickest part, wait to settle before reading

Defrosting meat

All meat should be defrosted before cooking and should have no ice crystals

Temperature for reheating

75C

Stirring in microwave

Turn or stir to prevent having cold spots

When to serve

Serve as soon as cooked, when piping hot