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Food poisoning can be very serious for anyone. If we are healthy adults, our immune systems can deal with small numbers of bacteria and viruses, but higher levels can make us very sick, and vulnerable people can become very ill or even die from food poisoning.
It is important to prepare food safely and to observe proper hygiene when preparing food to prevent infection.
Clean
Clean hands decrease the possibility of food poisoning.
Wash hands for 20 seconds with warm soapy water, dry hands with a clean towel for 20 seconds before starting to cook.
Always wash and dry hands:
- before handling, preparing and eating food;
- after handling raw meat, seafood, eggs and chicken;
- after going to the toilet or attending to another person’s toileting;
- after blowing your nose;
- after touching animals.
Clean utensils and cutting boards with soap and warn water and always use separate cutting boards for meat, seafood and vegetables.
Chill
Store meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods, vegetables in the fridge as soon as possible after purchasing at a temperature at or below 5°C. Put raw meats, poultry and seafood in the bottom of the fridge so any escaping juices won’t contaminate the food underneath. Use a fridge thermometer to check your fridge’s temperature frequently. Good air flow between items is important so try not to overcrowd your fridge.
Cooked food should be stored in covered containers. Cool food on the bench only until the steam stops rising, then refrigerate or freeze immediately. It’s a good idea to freeze leftovers in smaller quantities, so you only have to defrost the amount you need.
Cook
Cook chicken, minced meats, rolled or stuffed meats and sausages right through until they reach 75°C using a meat thermometer. Whole pieces of meat like steak, beef, pork and lamb can be cooked to taste (eg. medium rare or rare) as long as the outside of the meat is fully cooked to kill any external bacteria. If meat has been marinated, mechanically tenderised or moisture enhanced then it should be treated the same as stuffed, rolled or minced meat, as bacteria can be introduced to the meat during processing.
Separate
Food borne diseases can spread easily through cross-contamination, so it’s important to keep raw and cooked foods separate when storing and preparing. Raw foods like meat, poultry and seafood should be stored in leak proof containers to avoid cross-contaminating other foods.
Use separate cutting boards for meats, fish and vegetables/fruit and never put cooked meat back on a plate that raw meat has been on. Plastic or glass chopping boards are best for raw meat, seafood and poultry as wood is porous and can absorb bacteria.
When handling meat, poultry and seafood, wash knives, utensils and appliances thoroughly in hot soapy water and then dry them before you use them to handle any other foods. Wash and dry your hands also.
Dish cloths and brushes can harbour bacteria, so dry them out between use and wash them regularly. Use paper towels to clean up risky spills like meat juice, and then discard the towels and wash your hands.
Store
Storing foods correctly is important to prevent the spread of bacteria and possible infection.
Refrigeration:
The CSIRO recommends storing raw meat, poultry and seafood for 2-3 days in the fridge. Foods with strong odours such as seafood and some cheeses should be wrapped and stored away from items like milk and cream, which are susceptible to tainting.
Cooked meats and other leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days before eating or freezing.
Deli meats such as ham, salami and bacon have variable keeping times. Vacuum packaged items have a longer shelf life than freshly sliced meats. Sliced luncheon meats usually only keep 4-5 days after purchase, so it is a good idea to buy small quantities of these and examine carefully for sliminess or excess moisture before using.
Freezing:
Always store frozen food in the freezer as soon as you get it home.
Store cooked foods as soon as they stop steaming, placing the hot food into a sealed container before putting in the freezer.
Storage life in your freezer depends on temperature. Chest freezers tend to have a lower operating temperature, so food may keep for longer. With a fridge/freezer combination you can store frozen foods for up to six weeks with affecting the quality and nutrition of the food. Generally, the higher the fat content of the food, the shorter its shelf life. Check your freezer manufacturer’s recommended storage times for more specific information.
Thaw
Meat, poultry and seafood usually need to be thawed before use, although smaller cuts of meat such as steak and chops can be cooked from the frozen state provided they are cooked to 75°C. Large cuts should be thawed in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours or if needed sooner, thawed in the microwave.
It is not recommended to thaw food out of the refrigerator.
Food that has been thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen, provided it has been thawed at less than 5°C for no more than 48 hours.
Reheat
Leftover foods can be safely reheated more than once provided they are reheated to a 75 °C all the way through, provided they have been correctly stored in the first place. Take care when microwaving food as this method can produce hot and cool spots in the food, making it potentially risky to eat.
Always consume leftovers stored in the fridge within 2-3 days. The exception for this rule is pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems, who should consume leftovers from the fridge within 24 hours.
Use-by and best-before
In Australia and New Zealand, foods that must be eaten before a certain date are marked with a use-by date. They cannot legally be sold after this date and are not safe to consume.
Most foods have a best-before date which means they can legally be sold if they are fit for human consumption. When purchasing these foods, keep in mind that they may be safe for a little while after the best-before date, but may have lost some quality.
Any foods with a shelf life of longer than two years does not need to be marked with a best-before date.
The exception to the above is bread, which may be labelled with a baked-on or baked-for date.
For more information visit:
foodsafety.asn.au Food poisoning bacteria and viruses overview – foodsafety.asn.au
Handling food in the home – CSIRO
foodsafety.asn.au Fridge and freezer food safety – foodsafety.asn.au