Food poisioning should not be part of the experience

Here are my basic rules for food prep safety.  More information can be found on www.foodsafety.gov

When preparing food for anyone it is critical that basic food safety is observed. Equally important is food allergy awareness. Failure to pay attention to safe food preparation or food allergens can result in customers becoming very ill and in some cases can even result in death. Each year 100,000 people are hospitalized due to food poisoning.

TO START

If illness or injury prevents you, you must not prepare food:

1) DO NOT PREPARE FOOD IF YOU HAVE A COLD, FEVER OR COUGH

2) DO NOT PREPARE FOOD IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN CUT OR SORE ON YOUR HANDS

WHERE TO BUY FOOD

Only use food from reliable, professional and safe sources

BEFORE YOU HANDLE FOOD

In order to keep bacteria out of food:

3) WASH HANDS WITH HOT SOAP AND WATER

4) WEAR A HEAD COVERING TO PREVENT HAIR FROM FALLING INTO FOOD

5) CLEAN WITH HOT SOAP AND WATER, ALL CUTTING BOARDS AND UTENSILSWHEN YOU PREPARE & COOK FOOD

In order to kill any bacteria:

6) THROUGHLY WASH OFF ANY DIRT FROM FRESH PRODUCE / VEGETABLES

7) DO NOT USE UTENSILS OR BOARDS THAT TOUCH RAW MEATS IN CONTACT WITH COOKED FOOD OR RAW VEGETABLES

8) WHEN PREPARING RAW MEATS, WORK IN BATCHES TO KEEP MEAT COLD WITH THE BULK COLD IN REFRIGERATION

9) COOK FOOD TO A SAFE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE (SEE CHART) AND REST TIME

10) DO NOT SERVE FOOD FROM CANS THAT ARE SEVERELY DENTED OR BULGING

WHEN YOU SERVE FOOD

In order to keep bacteria from growing:

8) KEEP COLD FOODS COLD

9) KEEP HOT FOODS AT 145 DEGREES

10) DO NOT TOUCH PREPARED FOOD WITH BARE HANDS, USE UTENSILS OR GLOVES

WHEN YOU STORE FOOD

In order to keep food safe:

11) KEEP RAW FOOD AWAY FROM COOKED FOOD TO AVOID POSSIBLE CROSS CONTAMINATION

12) COOL HOT FOODS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE

13) SECURE FOOD TO PREVENT VERMIN FROM COMING INTO CONTACT WITH IT

ALLERGY AWARENESS

Be aware of all ingredients in your cooking and inform customers of allergens if any:

14) COMMON ALLERGENS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY: NUTS (TREE AND GROUND), SHELLFISH, FISH, GLUTEN, EGGS, SOY, AND LACTOSE