Keeping Food Safe
When we are cooking in ways that are new or unusual, perhaps cooking a barbeque outside, or asking for help from children or those who don't usually prepare or cook food, it is important to remember those golden rules of food safety.
Make sure everyone involved wash their hands thoroughly (with soap) and dries them thoroughly:
- before they start working with the food
- after going to the toilet or blowing their nose
- after handling raw meat or poultry
If gloves are used, remember that they too, can get contaminated and will need to be changed as often as you wash your hands.
Separate raw foods and foods that are ready to eat to prevent cross contamination.
Raw foods should also be prepared and stored separately. A common cause of summer food poisoning is the reuse of the plate used for taking raw foods out to the barbeque for the return trip inside with the cooked foods.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
Foods that stay warm are the foods that bugs like to grow most. Keep raw foods covered in the refrigerator until needed for cooking. Cool cooked foods rapidly, cover and place in the refrigerator. Thaw frozen foods thoroughly before cooking. Reheat cooked foods only once after cooking and make sure that they are reheated thoroughly.
For more information, please visit www.nzfsa.govt.nz and www.foodsafe.org.nz
