Food Safety at Home
Checklist and Temperature Chart
A lot of food poisoning happens at home. It can happen when you eat food that’s contaminated
with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins or chemicals. Follow this checklist to keep
your food safe, and protect you and your family from food poisoning.
CLEAN to remove bacteria
q Wash your hands with hot water and
soap for 20 seconds before and after
handling food
q Wash utensils, cutting boards and
countertops between preparing each
food item
q Rinse vegetables and
HEAT to kill bacteria
q Use a food thermometer when
cooking and reheating food
q Use the Safe Temperature Chart on the
back to check if your food is hot enough
q Keep hot food at 60°C or higher until
you are ready to serve
fruits under running
water, even the ones
you plan to cut or peel
CHILL below 4°C to prevent growth
of bacteria
q Store groceries in the fridge or freezer
SEPARATE to stop bacteria from
spreading
q Separate raw meat and seafood from
other food in your shopping basket and
put them in separate shopping bags
q Use one cutting board for raw meat
and seafood, and another for other food
q Store raw and thawing meat and
seafood in containers on the bottom
shelf of your fridge
within 2 hours after shopping
q Defrost food in the fridge, not on
the counter
q Marinate food in the fridge, not on
the counter
q Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer
within 2 hours after cooking
Safe Temperature Chart
Cooked food is only safe to eat if it is thoroughly heated.
The best way to make sure it is hot enough is to measure the temperature.
Insert a food thermometer into the middle or thickest part of the food,
and check this Safe Temperature Chart.
Food
Temperature
Poultry
(e.g., chicken, turkey, duck)
• Whole cuts
• Pieces
• Ground poultry
82°C
74°C
74°C
Beef, Goat, Lamb
• Whole cuts
• Pieces
• Ground beef, goat, lamb
60°C
60°C
71°C
Pork
• Whole cuts
• Pieces
• Ground pork/Pork products
71°C
71°C
71°C
Fish
70°C
Food mixtures (with meat, fish,
or eggs)
74°C
Other foods/Leftovers
74°C
For more information, please call
Region of Peel – Public Health at 905-799-7700.
ENV-0126 11/12