The subject of food safety can seem so complex. How can you figure out how to keep food safe and do it in an easy way? Follow these four Food Safety Guidelines and you will keep food preparation safe and simple:
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Wash hands with soap and water when preparing food.
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Wash cutting boards, counter tops and utensils with soap and water.
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Wash sponges and dishtowels often to kill bacteria.
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Keep meats separate from vegetables to avoid spreading bacteria from one food to another.
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Store meats on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator or in a shallow pan so the drippings don’t contaminate other foods.
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Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables or use the same cutting board and wash with soap and water between use.
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Avoid putting cooked food on a plate that had raw food on it.
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Cook foods to recommended temperatures to kill bacteria.
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Use a food thermometer to assure food reaches recommended temperatures.
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Cook eggs until firm. Use recipes where eggs are cooked completely.
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Refrigerate foods quickly to slow the growth of bacteria.
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Refrigerate foods within 1 hour if the outside temperature is above 90 degrees.
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Never run water over food to defrost. Defrost food in cold water in the refrigerator.
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Never thaw raw food at room temperature! Only thaw in the refrigerator.
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Unrefrigerated food should not sit longer than 2 hours or 1 hour if it is over 90 degree outside.
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