Safe Food Preparartion

Raw meat and poultry, eggs, fish and unwashed fruit and vegetables can all carry germs. Thoroughly cooking food and performing scrupulous kitchen clean-up are the primary ways to prevent food poisoning.

Always wash your hands before preparing food and immediately after handling raw foods (especially poultry). Use a clean dry hand towel—or, preferably, a disposable paper towel—to dry your hands. Make sure kitchen work surfaces are thoroughly cleaned immediately before use (use a disinfectant such as LYSOL® Disinfecting Wipes.).

Disinfect surfaces that you touch with your hands, such as door and cupboard handles, faucets and the trash can. It's important to clean and disinfect inside the fridge, microwave, cabinets, and other surfaces that come into frequent contact with food. Use a trash can with a lid to prevent access by pets and pests—empty, clean and disinfect it often.

Wash salads, fruits and vegetables thoroughly in clean water to remove all traces of soil, insects or pesticides.
Avoid contact between raw and ready to eat foods. Use separate cutting boards.
Cook food thoroughly and evenly (particularly meat).
Eat cooked food immediately or cool and refrigerate it within one hour. Never reheat food more than once.
Don't let pets on or near food preparation surfaces.
Don't refreeze food that has defrosted.
Check use by dates on food and discard any food that has expired or has obviously spoiled.
Keep your refrigerator at or below 37°F. This will help slow down the growth of germs in your chilled food.
Keep freezers at or below 0°F. Germs cannot multiply in frozen food.