Food Safety 101

Safe handling, cooking and storage of food is very important in order to avoid food-born illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness, which is why it's very important to take the necessary steps to avoid serious illness. 

Shopping

Selecting your produce wisely at the grocery store is the first step to safe food handling. Consider the following guidelines next time you are at the store;

1. Don't buy bruised or damaged produce.
2. Never purchase meat or poultry in damaged packaging.
3. Don't buy foods past their use buy or sell buy dates.
4. Pick up refrigerated or frozen items after your non-perishable items.
5. Be sure to transport foods home to your fridge or freezer, as quickly as possible.

Storage

Storing foods correctly in your home is key to keeping them fresh and safe to eat. No one likes it when their fresh fruits and vegetables go bad way before their time. But what if they could potentially damage your health too. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure safe storage:

1. Store perishable fruits and vegetables in your refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
2. Refrigerate foods within two hours of purchasing them.
3. As a general rule, maintain your refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees and your freezer temperature at 0 degrees.
4. Be sure to refrigerate all foods that are pre-cut or peeled to maintain their quality and safety.
5. Place all raw meats on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cooked meats above them. Placing raw and cooked meats in close proximity is very dangerous.
6. Don't cram too much food into your fridge or freezer. Air needs to be able to circulate to chill foods effectively.
7. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

Preparation

1. Wash your hands before handling food.
2. Wash all produce thoroughly before use.
3. Never prepare raw and cooked meats on the same chopping board.
4. Don't thaw meat and other frozen foods at room temperature. Instead plan ahead and defrost them in the refrigerator.
5. Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic, free of cracks and crevices.