The Four Simple Steps in Food Safety

If you have ever had food poisoning, you know how unpleasant it can be. However, food poisoning is just a small part of the consequences of bacteria in your food. I recently got food poisoning at a restaurant in Las Vegas. This food poisoning led to a gastro-intestinal problem that lasted nearly a year. Even today, I am still suffering the repercussions of the food poisoning. Needless to say, I don’t eat out as much as I used to. However, even eating at home requires certain precautions to avoiding illness caused by bacteria in food. There are four simple steps we can all follow. That’s what this article is all about.

Step One: Cleanliness
Wash your hands in hot soapy water before handling food. When you use the bathroom, pet an animal, shake someone’s hand, etc. wash your hands even if you don’t plan on eating or handling food. Using hot soapy water immediately helps clean away unwanted bacteria.

Wash cleaning utensils in hot soapy water. This includes dishes, knives, forks, spoons, cooking boards, and counter tops. While most of us do wash these things before we start preparing food, often we forget to wash them after each food item. For example, did you just cut up a chicken on your cutting board? Wash the cutting board in hot soapy water before you start cutting the potatoes or onions or anything else on the same cutting board. Don’t forget to wash the knives after each food item as well.

Use plastic or non-porous cutting boards. Try not to use those wooden cutting boards that are built into your kitchen cabinets. Bacteria tends to hang out on them. They are not non-porous. At least, they weren’t the last time I checked. The best way to wash a cutting board is in a nice hot dishwasher. If this is not an option for you, use soapy water as hot as you can stand it, but not so hot your burn yourself.

One final note on cleanliness: Try using paper towels to clean up in the kitchen. If you do have to use cloth towels, wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine. I like to buy white ones and then soak them in bleach regularly before putting them in the washer. If you don’t wash cloth towels regularly, bacteria can collect on them.

Step Two: Don't cross-contaminate
This means that bacteria can be spread from one food product to another food product. We especially need to be careful of cross-contamination when handling uncooked meat, poultry, and seafood. Keep these foods and their juices away from other foods, especially foods that are ready-to-eat.
What does this actually involve?
Start at the grocery store. Keep meat, poultry, and seafood away from other foods in your shopping cart. Once you get home, keep them separated in your refrigerator as well.
I mentioned earlier about cleaning your cutting board after you cut meat before cutting something else on it. Well, the idea situation would be to used a different cutting board for cutting meats, poultry, etc. then you use for cutting other food items.
Finally, never place cooked food on a plate that was previously used for raw meats, etc.

Step Three: Cook to proper temperatures
There is harmful bacteria that causes foodborne illnesses. According to the experts, when food is heated long enough and at a high enough temperature, this bacteria is killed. So make sure you are cooking your food at a proper temperature for a long enough time.

Invest in a food thermometer that measures the internal temperature of cooked foods. Make sure the thermometer is clean each time you use it.

Cook roasts and steaks to at least 145 degrees F.

Whole poultry should be cooked to 180 degrees F.

Cook ground beef to at least 160 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer available, never eat ground beef that is pink inside. There is a high risk of illness from eating undercooked, pink ground beef. Don’t take the chance.

Eggs: Don’t use recipes that call for eggs to remain raw or only partially cooked. When cooking eggs make sure the yolk and whites are firm.

Fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.

Sauces, soups, and gravies should be brought to a boil when reheating.

Leftovers should be heated thoroughly to 165 degrees F.

Microwave cooking: Make sure there are no cold spots in the food. Cover the food, stir and rotate it so that it cooks evenly.

Step Four: Refrigerate promptly
Harmful bacteria is prevented from growing and multiplying in cold temperatures. This means you must refrigerate your food promptly. Your refrigerator should be set no higher than 40 degrees F. Also, set your freezer at 0 degrees F. Appliance thermometers are available that you can use to check there temperatures.

Put prepared foods and leftovers in the frig or freezer within two hours. Don’t let it sit on the counter longer than that.

Thaw out food in the refrigerator, never on the counter or at room temperature. You can also thaw food under cold running water or, my favorite way of thawing out food is in the microwave. Most microwaves have a defrost setting that you can use.

Marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter.

Try dividing leftovers into smaller portions so that they cool faster.

Don’t overpack your refrigerator. In order to keep food safe in the frig, the cool air must be able to circulate properly.