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Food Safety
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• Contacts
Resources for
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Local Health Agency
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Food Worker & Industry
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• Office of
Environmental Health, Safety, and Toxicology
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Other Environmental Health Programs
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Each year, thousands of
Washington residents become sick because of food that is
prepared in an unsafe manner. Follow these precautions to
help prevent foodborne illness.
When Buying
When Preparing
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Always wash
hands before you begin to prepare food and after handling raw
meats. Use warm water, soap and paper towels. Remember:
clean-looking hands may be contaminated with millions of germs.
Inadequate hand washing is a leading cause of foodborne disease
today.
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Keep your kitchen
and utensils clean. Sanitize cutting boards, knives and
countertops that come into contact with raw meat by using a
solution of bleach water (1 teaspoon bleach per gallon of water)
or antibacterial cleaner.
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Do not re-use
wash cloths after wiping countertops, especially after cleaning
up raw meat juice.
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Wash all produce,
especially if it is to be eaten raw.
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Fruits and
vegetables should be washed by rinsing well in running cold
water and scrubbing, instead of by soaking in standing
water.
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Tough-skinned
produce, such as cantaloupe, should be scrubbed with a brush
or cloth during washing.
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Be sure meat is
thawed. Frozen or partially frozen meat is easy to undercook.
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Cook food to a safe internal temperature. Use a food
thermometer. For meats, the three main cooking temperatures to
remember are 145 for whole meats, 160 for ground meats, and 165
for poultry. Depending upon your taste, you may want to cook the
meat to a higher internal temperature. Cook meats to the
following minimum internal temperatures:
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Whole
or ground chicken, turkey, or other poultry: 165 degrees F.
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Ground beef,
pork, hamburger, or egg dishes: 160 degrees F.
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Whole cuts (such as roasts, steaks, chops) of beef, pork,
veal, and lamb: 145 degrees. Allow the meat to "rest" for 3
minutes before cutting or eating.
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Hot dogs,
sausages: 165 degrees F.
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Fish: 145 degrees F.
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Refrigerate foods immediately. Don't leave food on the counter to "cool down."
Cut or divide solid food (meat) into small pieces and cool in
uncovered containers in the refrigerator. Only cover the
container after the food is below 45 degrees F.
When Serving
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Do not allow
perishable food to sit at room temperature for more than two
hours. Keep track. After two hours, refrigerate, reheat, or
throw it away.
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Arrange and serve
food on several small platters instead of one large one. Keep
the rest of the food either hot or cold.
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Keep hot foods
hot (above 140 degrees F). Use warming trays, when possible.
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Keep cold foods
cold. Nest dishes in bowls of ice, when possible.
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Do not serve drinks
or foods that are made with raw eggs.
When Storing
Related links:
Holiday Food Safety Tips and
Barbecue and Picnic Food Safety |
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