Keeping Food Safe…Top of Mind!
Cooking Safely
Handling Leftovers
Cook food thoroughly to destroy harmful bacteria.
Use a food thermometer to check internal temperatures:
Quick Cooling
chicken and turkey, whole and dark meat
185ºF
(85ºC)
chicken and turkey breast
170ºF
(77ºC)
ground chicken and turkey, also stuffed
meats and poultry
165ºF
(74ºC)
ground meats
160ºF
(71ºC)
beef, veal, lamb, pork, egg dishes
160ºF
(71ºC)
seafood and shell eggs
145ºF
(63ºC)
Don’t partially cook foods and then finish them later on
a grill or in the oven.
Serving Safely
Hold hot food above 140ºF (60ºC) and cold food below
40ºF (4ºC). Never leave prepared and perishable foods,
raw or cooked, at room temperature for more than two
hours.
Always refrigerate leftovers promptly, including cooked
pasta, potatoes and rice. Divide them into small amounts
and use shallow containers for quick cooling in the
refrigerator. Don’t overload the refrigerator. Make sure
cool air can circulate to keep the food safe. Once cooled,
cover all containers tightly to avoid any contact with raw
meat, poultry or seafood in the refrigerator. Use leftovers
within a few days. When in doubt, throw them out!
Safe Reheating
Reheat all leftovers rapidly to at least 165ºF (74ºC).
Sources:
Sodexo Food Safety Information Services
(Quality Assurance & Food Safety Department)
To learn more about Sodexo’s food safety programs,
visit our website at:
http://www.sodexoUSA.com/corp_foodsafety.asp
http://www.sodexo.CA/english/foodsafety.asp
For additional food safety information visit:
Partnership for Food Safety Education
http://www.fightbac.org/
Be Food Safe Canada
http://www.befoodsafe.ca/en-home.asp
USDA
http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
http:// www.cfia-acia.agr.ca/
OR contact your local of health agency
Food Safety at Home…
Top of Mind!
Keeping Food Safe…Top of Mind!
Table of Contents
Shopping for Groceries and
Take Home Meals
Your Refrigerator
Your Kitchen
Clean Hands
Clean Kitchen
Safe Cutting Boards
Dishcloths And Sponges
Separate - Don’t Cross-Contaminate
Thawing Food The Right Way
Cooking Safely
Serving Safely
Handling Leftovers
Quick Cooling
Safe Reheating
Shopping for Groceries and
Take Home Meals
Buy meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products
last. Put packages of raw meat and poultry in plastic
bags to keep them separate from other foods,
especially from fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure
cans don‘t have dents, cracks or bulging ends.
Taking food home on a hot day? Don’t let meat, poultry,
seafood, eggs and other perishable foods sit in your hot
car. Take a cooler along. Refrigerate or freeze foods
within two hours of shopping. Pick up take home meals
when you are ready to go home.
Your Refrigerator
At home, refrigerate (or rewrap and freeze) raw meat,
poultry, seafood and eggs immediately. To prevent their
juices from dripping onto other foods, store them in
tightly covered containers, in sealed plastic bags and
keep them separate from foods that won’t be cooked.
Keep the refrigerator at 40ºF (4ºC) or lower and the
freezer at 0ºF (-18ºC). Check the temperature with an
appliance thermometer.
Your Kitchen
Clean Hands
Always wash your hands with soap and warm water for
10 to 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat,
poultry and seafood, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Wash hands also after cleaning the kitchen, using the
bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
Clean Kitchen
Wash counter tops, utensils and equipment with hot
water and detergent right after each food item. After
handling raw meat, poultry and seafood, sanitize
kitchen counters and other surfaces with a commercial
kitchen disinfectant (following the directions on the
product label) And don’t forget to clean the kitchen sink
and faucet!
Safe Cutting Boards
If possible, use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry
and seafood and a separate one for cooked and
ready-to-eat foods. It’s easy to remember, if you use a
different color for each cutting board.
Dishcloths & Sponges
To wipe up work surfaces after handling raw meat and
poultry, use paper towels, not your kitchen dishcloth
or sponge. Throw the soiled paper away immediately.
Wash and sanitize dishcloths and sponges regularly.
When wet, they can become the perfect breeding
ground for harmful bacteria. Use a commercial kitchen
disinfectant for sanitizing, following the directions on the
product label.
Separate — Don’t Cross-Contaminate
During storage, preparation or thawing, don’t let raw
meat, poultry and seafood and their juices touch cooked
food or food that is ready to be eaten raw or without any
further cooking.
Thawing Food the Right Way
Thaw food in the refrigerator, never on the kitchen
counter or in the sink. If you use a microwave oven to
thaw, then cook the food immediately after thawing.