Food Safety Interventions

Do not put hot food directly into the fridge or freezer, let it cool first.

• Keep cooling foods covered
• Remember that cooling should be completed within one or two hours after cooking
• To speed up cooling

Clean and tidy as you go!

• Keep food preparation surfaces clear of clutter to make cleaning easier.
• Clean kitchen surfaces after preparing food using hot, soapy water and anti bacterial sprays.
• After handling raw meat, poultry, fish and other raw foods always wash hands.
• Clean utensils and surfaces thoroughly before using them for other foods, especially cooked and ready to eat foods.
• Give your kitchen a ‘deep clean' periodically.
• Detergents, disinfectants and anti-bacterial cleaners will only work if you use them properly, so always follow the instructions.
• Detergents such as washing up liquids are designed to dissolve grease, oil and dirt. Always clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease or dirt, then apply disinfectant to kill any remaining germs.
• Disinfectants, such as bleach, are designed to kill germs. These are very strong cleansing agents and should be used carefully as they can contaminate food and cause serious harm.
• Anti-bacterial cleaners are types of disinfectant and can also kill germs - they often come in spray form. Make sure you buy those suitable for food use.
• Use separate buckets and cloths for cleaning floors.
• Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where you can use disposable cloths.
• Don't mix hand towels and tea towels with general washing.

• Follow recipe and label instructions on cooking times and temperature.
• Remember to pre-heat your oven properly.
• Check food is piping hot before serving.
• Always check that sausages, burgers, pork and poultry are cooked right through; they should not be 'rare' or pink in the middle and when pierced with a knife any juices that run out of the meat should be clear, not bloody. Undercooked chicken is a common source of campylobacter food poisoning.
• Don't cook foods too far in advance, especially if you haven't lots of storage space.
• Once cooked, keep foods covered and piping hot (above 63°C) until you are ready to serve.
• When using a microwave stir foods and drinks once the cooking time is reached, and allow them to stand for a couple of minutes. This helps to avoid hot or cold spots.
• If cooking large amounts use a food probe thermometer to check your food is properly cooked. If using a probe clean and sanitise between uses to avoid cross contamination.

Food poisoning is often caused when harmful bacteria on one food are spread via hands or kitchen utensils to cross-contaminate other foods.

Good hygiene practices which help prevent this:

• Keep raw foods separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food at all times.
• In particular keep raw meat, fish, poultry and other raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods such as salads, bread and sandwiches.
• Store raw meats and poultry at bottom of your fridge where blood cannot drip onto other foods.
• Never put cooked food on a plate which has previously held raw foods until it has been thoroughly washed.
• If you can, use separate chopping boards for raw and cooked foods.
• If you do not have separate boards, always wash your chopping board between preparing raw and cooked foods.
• Always wash hands with hot water and soap after handling raw foods and before touching other foods and utensils.

Please follow the link to our page Glossary of key food terms.

Most of us try to use up leftovers to avoid food waste and save money. When you do:

• Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Place left over food in containers, label and refrigerate or freeze.
• Use cooked leftovers within 3 days.
• Follow recipe and labelling advice on suitable times to keep foods frozen or they may be inedible when thawed.

Good personal hygiene is critical to ensure food is safe to eat.

Always wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds making sure you clean between fingers and on back and front of the hand up o the wrists and forearms if appropriate:Before and after handling food:

• After blowing your nose coughing or sneezing.
• After handling uncooked meats, poultry, fish, eggs and heavily soiled vegetables.
• After going to the toilet.
• After changing a nappy.
• After emptying waste bins.
• After handling pets.
• After helping a sick person.
• After gardening.

Alwas cover cuts or abrasions with plaster or gloves.

If you have diarrhoea or vomiting ask someone else to do the cooking for you. Ideally you should stay out of the kitchen for 48 hours or until symptom free. If this is not possible then make sure you wash your hands regularly with anti-bacterial soap and use a separate towel.

Food hygiene hand rubs are useful but only work if your hands are clean. And they only give protection for a limited time.

• Always wash hands before and after handling food.
• Take extra care if preparing food for vulnerable people, eg. young children, the elderly or other people with health problems.
• Don’t cross contaminate.
• Keep raw meat, poultry and fish away from other food.
• After cutting raw meats wash hands, board, knives and clean surfaces with hot soapy water.
• Do not pre wash meats, unseen bacteria can end splashed onto surfaces and contaminate other food.
• Sanitise boards and surfaces after washing with anti bacterial spray.
• Keep pets out of kitchens when preparing food.

It is safe to refreeze previously frozen foods, including meat, but quality may be affected.

• Keep hot food hot (above 63°C).
• If serving buffets help keep food cold with trays of ice.
• Keep food warm in chafing dishes or slow cookers.
• Do not leave buffets of high risk food out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.

• Make sure reusable bags are kept clean.
• Do not store perishable, high risk items in cars or at ambient temperature for long periods, especially in warm weather.
• Check foods are within Use By dates.
• Use cool bags for perishable foods and try and refrigerate within 2 hours of purchase especially in very warm weather.
• Best Before dates relate to quality only and will continue to be safe to eat past the given date

• Refrigerate perishable food promptly and properly (less than 8°C).
• Use a fridge thermometer to ensure temperature runs below 8°C (3-5°C is best for food quality).
• Before using check high risk food is still within Use By date.
• Freeze meat, poultry etc immediately or within 2 days if it has been kept chilled below 8°C.
• Store raw meats below ready to eat foods in the fridge.
• Wrap raw foods such as meat and poultry to prevent juices getting on to other foods.
• Don’t store food in cans especially those with high acid, e.g tomatoes, pineapple.
• Unopened canned foods are safe indefinitely but discard rusted, dented or swollen cans.
• Keep eggs in the fridge and treat as a raw food.
• Rotate food in freezers to prevent waste.

• The safest way to thaw foods is in the fridge.
• Make sure when thawing meat and poultry juices do not drip onto other foods, especially ready to eat.
• If you really need a fast thaw place food in a leak proof plastic bag and submerge in cold water.
• If thawing using a microwave, cook high risk foods immediately after thawing.