THE HERALD FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10 2017
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59 Feature
Handle meat carefully: Prevent the spread of bacteria
harmful bacteria, change them regularly especially if they are kept damp. All packaged food comes with a list
of storage guidelines. If you don’t follow these rules your food could quickly become infected – causing serious problems. When purchasing food be sure to check the labels for food storage advice. Keep your fridge between 0 °C and 5
°C, and your freezer at less than –18 °C to prevent bacteria from multiplying. A cool bag or box can help to keep chilled foods cold when you’re returning home from the supermarket, particularly in warm weather. Keep raw meat and seafood separate
from other foods in airtight containers at the bottom of the fridge. Defrost frozen foods in the fridge. Pop them on a plate or in a container as
they defrost so they don’t drip onto other foods. Don’t store opened tins of food in the
fridge – transfer to an airtight container instead. Once you open a tin, material such as bacteria can get into the contents. Allow leftovers to cool to room
temperature (for no more than two hours) before you put them in the fridge. Eat within two days. Rice needs to be cooled more
quickly, ideally within an hour. Divide leftover rice into shallow containers so it cools faster, then put the containers in the fridge. Eat within a day. Food preparation is also key to
preventing the spread of harmful bacteria, when preparing food be sure to check the if they have passed their use by date. Even if the food looks and smells fine you should not eat food that has passed its
Wash your hands: The simple first step
use-by date as they may not be safe to eat. However, you can eat food if it has passed its best before date, except eggs. Before eating chilled foods, take
them out of the fridge at the last minute to avoid food spoiling. When preparing raw meat or fish use
separate chopping boards and utensils from raw foods. Be sure to also clean them thoroughly afterward with warm soapy water. Raw meats and fish contain a lot
of harmful bacteria that is killed during the cooking process, but if you don’t adequately clean your knives or chopping boards after use it could spread to other foods.
Cooking at temperatures over 70
°C for at least two minutes will kill any bacteria in food. Bacteria can survive any cooler temperatures than this, so it’s vital to cook food properly. Follow the instructions for cooking
time and temperature, and preheat your oven fully. Make sure food is piping hot – you
should see steam coming out before you serve it. A food thermometer is a handy tool to check if food is cooked to the right temperature. Cook meat all the way through. Aside
from rare steaks, lamb and beef joints, meat shouldn’t be pink in the middle. Use a clean skewer to pierce the meat; if it’s
cooked properly, the juices will run clear. Always reheat pre-cooked food
thoroughly. Only reheat pre-cooked food once. If you’re cooking food in a
microwave, stir it well from time to time to ensure that it’s evenly cooked all the way through. For more information on good
food hygiene, visit the following online sources:
British Nutrition Foundation 020 7557 7930
www.nutrition.org.uk Food Standards Agency 020 7276 8829
www.food.gov.uk
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