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"Don't Compromise - Clean and Sanitize"

Four Steps to Keeping Food Safe:

1. Clean - Wash hands before preparing food and as needed during preparation. Keep food preparation surfaces clean, wash with hot, soapy water.

2. Separate - Prevent cross-contamination. Do not allow raw food (such as raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs) to touch or drip fluids onto cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Begin this process at the grocery store, keep raw meat products in separate bags from ready-to-eat foods. Thoroughly clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces that touched raw foods before they come in contact with ready-to-eat foods.

3. Cook - Be sure all foods are thoroughly cooked. A food preparation thermometer is a good way to check that foods are thoroughly heated to the recommended temperature.

4. Chill - Avoid time-temperature abuse. Do not allow foods to remain in the temperature danger zone (40°F to 140°F). Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

Posted by Mrs. Lambert