Discover how to be a food safety superhero at home! Start by learning the food safety practices of Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. These simple steps can help protect you and your loved ones from foodborne illnesses.

The first step to food safety is to CLEAN.

• It is important to keep our hands and food preparation surfaces clean. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto our hands, cutting boards, utensils, countertops, and food.
• At home we want to clean surfaces with hot water and soap to remove dirt and debris. After cleaning, sanitize food contact surfaces as an extra precaution to kill germs.

The second food safety practice is to SEPARATE, don’t cross-contaminate.

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods when you are preparing them in the kitchen. Harmful bacteria from these foods can be transferred to other foods and surfaces if they are not kept separate.
• Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for fresh produce and different ones for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw foods.

The third step is to COOK foods to safe temperatures.

• Color is not a reliable indicator of whether food has reached a high enough internal temperature to destroy pathogens. The best way to ensure food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the food to measure the temperature.

The last food safety practice is to CHILL.

• Chilling foods promptly and properly will help prevent the growth of harmful microbes.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within two hours of purchase or use.
• Keep your home refrigerator below 40°F to slow the growth of foodborne bacteria and reduce the risk of illness.

As part of the Fortrex family, we help protect millions of consumers from foodborne illnesses with our high-quality sanitation and food safety services. Become a food safety superhero, both at work and at home, by mastering the food safety steps of Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/prevention/index.html