Safe food practices, storage, and disposal

Safe food practices, storage, and disposal

Safe Food Practices

• Hand hygiene is paramount: wash hands thoroughly with warm water and soap before and after handling food.
• Avoid touching your face or hair while handling food as this could transfer bacteria.
• Wear clean and suitable clothing or uniform when in food preparation areas.
• Cover any cuts or sores to prevent contamination.
• Always cook food thoroughly, particularly meat, to kill any harmful bacteria.
• Do not reheat food more than once as it may not reach a sufficient temperature to kill bacteria.

Safe Food Storage

• Correct temperature control is key; most bacteria multiply rapidly between 5°C and 63°C.
• Refrigerated food should be kept at a maximum of 5°C and frozen food at -18°C or below.
• Raw and ready-to-eat foods must be stored separately to prevent cross-contamination.
• Foods should be stored in suitable containers and covered appropriately during storage.
• Always check ‘use by’ dates to ensure the food is safe to consume. Do not consume food past this date, even if it looks and smells fine.

Safe Food Disposal

• Dispose of outdated or spoiled food straight away to prevent the contamination of other food items.
• Understand the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates. ‘Use by’ refers to safety, while ‘best before’ refers to quality.
• Ensure that all spilled or dropped food is collected and disposed of appropriately.
• All waste must be placed in suitable rubbish bins which are regularly emptied.
• Always clean the area where food waste has been collected to avoid attracting pests and contaminants.