CLEAN

Wash hands with soap and dry well before handling food

• This can prevent food contamination.  For example, after using a phone, sneezing.
• Dry hands with single-use cloths/paper towels.
• Do not handle food if hands have any cuts or sores
• Wear gloves and a clean apron
• Do not handle food if unwell.Separating Food
• Food allergens must be kept separate from other food.
• There are 11 common food allergens: sulphites, cereals containing gluten (eg.wheat), shellfish, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, soybeans, sesame seeds, tree nuts and lupin.
• Always include any allergens used in cooking on your labelling.
• Store separately
• Wash chopping boards and kitchen utensils in hot soapy water and dry well after using with raw meat or seafood
• Use different chopping boards for raw meat, seafood and ready-to-eat foods like salads or cheese
• Don’t wash chicken or raw meat.  Washing will spread bacteria in your kitchen and may contaminate other food.
• Wash surfaces, chopping boards, and kitchen tools and utensils with soap and hot water and rinse in clean running water.
• After cleaning, wipe kitchen surfaces with a diluted bleach solution (1tsp. of bleach in 2 litres of water).
• Clean as you go and wipe up spills immediately.
• Use different sponges or cloths for the dishes, the bench and the floor.  Keep them separate.
• Use a dishwasher or hot, soapy water to wash dishes. Let dishes air dry rather than drying with a tea towel.
• Always cover stored food – even in the fridge or cupboard.

COOK

• Cook raw chicken, sausages, and mince patties all the way through.  Check that the juices run clear and they’re not pink in the centre
• Defrost frozen foods thoroughly or they won’t cook properly in the middle.  Defrost food in the fridge or use the defrost setting on a microwave.
• Reheat until piping hot.  Warm doesn’t kill bacteria, HOT does.
• Do not reheat leftovers more than once.
• Put cooked items on a clean plate, not one that’s been used for raw ingredients.
• Check the “use by” dates on food packaging.  Don’t buy or eat once the date has passed.  However, if food is labelled with a “Best Before” date, it’s alright to use after the date has passed.  Use common sense and your sense of smell and if in doubt, chuck it out.

CHILL

Most harmful bacteria cannot grow at low refrigeration temperatures.  Set the fridge temperature between 2 – 5 degrees.

• Cool large portions of hot food into smaller containers – this helps the food cool faster – then cover and refrigerate.
• Keep the fridge clean, and don’t overfill it. This can prevent cold air from circulating properly, which can affect the temperature of food inside the fridge.
• Keep a chilly bag in your car to transport cooked meals.  Use ice packs where necessary.

Ensure meals are placed in fridge/freezer immediately.

Labelling

• Name the food/meal
• List ingredients, Vegetarian, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
• Date cooked
• Reheating instructions
• Use approved packaging.

Always store cooked food separately from raw food.  Keep raw food at the bottom of the refrigerator

Food Poisoning is caused by harmful bacteria in or on the food we eat.  Campylobacter and Salmonella are the most common causes.

Food allergens

• If cooking for someone with an identified food allergy, allergens must be kept separate from other food.
• There are several common food allergens: sulphites, cereals containing gluten (e.g. wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt), shellfish, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, soybeans, sesame seeds, tree nuts and lupin.  However, it is possible to have allergies to almost any food.
• Always include any allergens used in cooking on your labelling.