Food Safety Preparation and Storage Tips

Here are 10 tips for food safety that a mother or Force for Health member can teach others:

1. Wash your hands: Before handling food, always wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds to avoid the spread of germs.
2. Clean and sanitize surfaces: Keep all surfaces clean and sanitized to prevent cross-contamination, using hot water and soap, followed by a sanitizer.
3. Store food at safe temperatures: Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly to keep them safe from harmful bacteria.
4. Cook food to safe temperatures: Use a thermometer to ensure meat, poultry, fish, and eggs are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
5. Separate raw and cooked foods: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination.
6. Use safe water and raw materials: Use safe water and raw materials for cooking and preparing food to prevent contamination.
7. Don’t eat expired food: Always check the expiry date on food products and avoid eating expired or spoiled food. If it smells bad or is mold, it not probably not safe to eat.
8. Avoid risky foods: Avoid risky foods such as undercooked meat or raw eggs to prevent foodborne illnesses.
9. Don’t cross-contaminate: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat, poultry, and seafood to prevent cross-contamination.
10. Practice good hygiene: Encourage good personal hygiene like taking a shower before cooking, covering hair with a hat, and avoiding coughing or sneezing around food.