Health and Fitness

How to practise food safety at home

Seventy five percent of people think they handle food safely, but most food poisoning happens at home. Here are some common mistakes when it comes to food safety.

July 29, 2021

Bacteria grow best at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C. This temperature range is known as the ‘temperature danger zone’.  

Always keep high risk foods (such as dairy products, meat, fish, and seafood) at the following temperatures:

  • Above 60°C for foods such as roasts, stews, casseroles, soups, and curries.
  • Below 5°C for foods including sliced meats, desserts, dairy products, sandwiches, and salads.

Cooking

  • Make sure food is cooked thoroughly. Joints of meat and poultry should reach at least 75 °C in their centre – this will kill most harmful bacteria. Make sure meat and poultry juices are clear, not pink.
  • Cook and serve food immediately – never leave high-risk food out at room temperature. Any food left out for more than four hours should be thrown away.
  • Promptly refrigerate all cooked and perishable food at or below 5°C. Portion food before cooling, for example slice meats and cut large poultry into smaller portions. Place liquid foods such as casseroles in shallow containers (no more than 5cm deep) to allow for rapid cooling and place in the fridge as soon as it stops steaming.
  • If reheating food, make sure it is steaming hot.

Your fridge  

  • Always defrost frozen food in the fridge or in the microwave on ‘defrost’. Do not defrost food on the benchtop as this can increase bacteria growth.
  • Do not store food too long, even in the fridge. Keep for a maximum of 3 days.
  • Remember, in hot weather your fridge may need adjusting to keep food cold.
  • Keep food covered to protect it from dust, insects, sneezes, etc. Always use a clean cover and never re-use plastic or aluminium wrap.
  • Keep raw meat and seafood, eggs, fruit and vegetables, and cooked meals separated in the fridge. Always wrap and store cooked foods above raw foods.
  • Arrange food in your fridge so cold air can easily circulate around it. Never overstock your fridge. They work better and are cheaper to run if they are defrosted regularly.

Hygiene

Bacteria are spread from one place to another by poor food handling or by contact with pets, flies, or other pests. To stop the spread of bacteria:

  • Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before handling food, and between handling raw and cooked foods.
  • Avoid using bare hands to touch food. Use tongs, forks, and spoons whenever possible.
  • Always clean and sanitise work surfaces and utensils. Sanitisers kill bacteria, while detergents only remove dirt and grease.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw.
  • Use separate cutting boards and knives for each type of food, for example raw meat, fish, vegetables, and cooked foods.
  • Use paper towels whenever possible. Dishcloths and towels can carry bacteria.
  • Protect food preparation areas and food from pests, insects, and pets.

‘Use by’ or ‘best before dates’

  • Foods labelled with a best before date are still safe to eat after this date if they are not damaged, deteriorated or perished. They may have lost some quality after this date.  
  • Foods labelled with a use-by date must be either eaten or thrown away by that date.
  • To make sure food lasts until its use-by date follow storage and preparation instructions.  
Source: healthywa.wa.gov.au

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