Cookstown District Council
Environmental Health
Food Advice for the Home
Basic food safety advice for the home
The following points should be followed to help ensure that food is safe around the home.
Purchasing Food
1. Food should always be purchased from a reputable shop or supplier. All food purchased should be well within its 'Use By' date or its 'Best Before' date.
Transporting Food
2. It is important that all food is taken straight home from the shop once it is purchased. It is particularly important that high risk food such as meat or dairy products are not left sitting in the car for a number of hours particularly on warm days. This will lead to the rapid multiplication of food poisoning bacteria.
Refrigeration
3. High risk food should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer according to manufacturers instructions. The refrigerator should operate preferably at a temperature of 50C or less. Foods should be kept covered when in the refrigerator, and cooked food should always be stored on shelves above raw food.
Stock Rotation
4. It is important that good stock rotation is practised and that all food is eaten within its 'Use By' dates. Manufacturers will not guarantee a products safety if it has been consumed after its 'Use By' date, or has not been stored at the temperature specified on the label.
Clean Hands
5. It is important to wash your hands before handling open foods. This should ensure that the food is not contaminated with micro-organisms which were on your hands prior to washing.
Defrosting
6. It is recommended that food is defrosted in the fridge. Allow enough time for food to defrost fully before use or cooking. It is poor practice to defrost foods at room temperature or under hot or cold running water. These practices will encourage the growth of food poisoning bacteria. Care should be taken not to overheat the external surfaces of food when using the microwave oven for defrosting. Defrosted food should be cooked straight away or put in the refrigerator.
Preparation of Food
7. Care should be taken during preparation to ensure that cross contamination between uncooked (raw) foods and cooked foods does not occur. Where possible, separate knives and chopping boards should be used for each. Where this is not possible, it should be ensured that both knives and chopping boards are cleaned thoroughly between handling each type of food.
Cook Thoroughly
8. It should be ensured that the centre of any high risk foods is thoroughly cooked through and reaches a temperature of at least 750C. Burgers and other cuts of meat should be cooked until they are no longer pink on the inside, and the juices run clear.
Serving
9. Hot foods should be served as quickly as possible once cooked to prevent them cooling down, and allowing the growth of food poisoning bacteria.
Cold service foods should be served as quickly as possible after removing them from the refrigerator to prevent them getting warm, and also allowing the growth of food poisoning bacteria.
Leftovers
10. If you are going to store any leftovers, you should ensure that they are covered over and placed in the refrigerator as soon as possible.