Wash and dry your hands thoroughly:
- before starting to cook
- after handling raw food
- after handling refuse, cleaning chemicals or equipment
- after coughing sneezing or blowing your nose
- after using the toilet
- after eating, smoking etc
Be aware:
- If you have any skin, nose, throat or stomach problems, you can contaminate food you are cooking for others.
- Keeping cuts and sores covered and washing your hands properly can help limit any harmful microbes getting into your body or into your food
- All hair can fall into food, especially long hair. Long hair can also get singed, so tie it back.
- It is good practice to clean and wash up as you go.
- Tea towels and dish cloths can carry microbes, make sure they are clean.
- Aprons protect your cloths – it is easier to wash an apron and less upsetting to have them stained with fat than your favourite jeans.
- Bins need to be emptied before they overflow. A covered bin is a friendlier bin!
- Treat knives and other blades with respect! (Do not leave them in the washing up sink).
Storing food:
- Uncooked and cooked food must be prepared and stored separately.
- All stored cooked or raw foods must be covered.
- The danger zone for microbe growth is between 80C and 630
- Chill foods as quickly and efficiently as possible (not in fridge or freezer).
- Defrost foods in fridge, not at room temperature.
Reheating in the oven:
- Preheat your oven before placing the food inside.
- The best position in the oven for reheating is the centre.
- Ensure the container you place in the oven is suitable for the oven, place on a baking tray.
- The colder the food the longer it will take to reheat (items should not be kept out of refrigerator prior to cooking)
- The denser or thicker the food the longer it will take to reheat.
- The greater the volume the longer it will take to reheat.
- Do not reheat any food which is frozen or partially frozen.
- If you wish to reheat food which has previously been frozen, ensure you defrost the item thoroughly in the refrigerator – allow enough time. Do not reheat previously reheated food!
Reheating in a microwave:
- Ensure you use the correct heat setting for the food being reheated.
- Check that the container is microwave friendly
- The colder the food the longer it will take to reheat (items should not be kept out of refrigerator prior to cooking)
- The denser or thicker the food the longer it will take to reheat.
- The greater the volume the longer it will take to reheat.
- Do not reheat any food which is frozen or partially frozen.
- If you wish to reheat food which has previously been frozen, ensure you defrost the item thoroughly in the refrigerator – allow enough time. Do not reheat previously reheated food!