Tips On Food Handling

• Avoid cross contamination.  Wash your hands every time beforecoming into contact with food.  Wash hands/utensils after handling rawmeat, fish, or poultry.  

• Wash your hands often.  Use soap and water to wash, and papertowels or clean cloth towels to dry your hands.  Research has proven thatfrequent hand washing is the most effective way to prevent food-borneillnesses.

• Keep perishable foods refrigerated or frozen until they areused.  Thaw frozen items in the refrigerator, under cold running water, ora microwave (as part of the continuing cooking process).  Marinate food inthe refrigerator.

House Keeping

Many harmful germs can survive for several hours on kitchensurfaces.  Reduce your risk of illness by keeping cutting boards,counter tops, utensils, dishcloths, and towels clean.  Don’t use sponges inthe kitchen.  They tend to collect small food particles and are difficultto clean.

Use a weak chlorine bleach solution (2 teaspoons of bleach per quartof water) as a kitchen sanitizer.  You may want to keep a supply of thissolution in a spray bottle near the sink.