Food hygiene

• Keep your kitchen clean

  • Clean worktops and surfaces regularly after food preparation. Clean surfaces first with detergent to remove any grease or dirt, then use anti-bacterial spray to kill any remaining germs.
  • Use separate cloths or sponges for separate tasks; where practical use disposable cloths. If using them more than once, wash in hot water and soap then place in a suitable disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
  • Wash up wearing rubber gloves - that way you can use very hot water and leave dishes to drain - it's more hygienic than using a tea towel.
  • Change your washing up cloth, scourer and brushes regularly.

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• Storing food safely

  No food lasts forever however well it is stored. Most pre-packed foods carry a best before or use by date:

  • Use by dates are for highly perishable foods eg meat, fish or milk those that 'go off' quite quickly. No-one likes to waste food but it can be dangerous to eat foods past their use by date.
  • Best before dates are for foods with a longer life eg biscuits, coffee, dried pasta. They indicate how long the food will be at its best quality.

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• In the fridge

  • Keep all perishable foods in the fridge, following any pack instructions carefully and consume by the use by date.
  • Check the temperature of your fridge using a fridge thermometer. Place a thermometer on the middle shelf of the fridge and leave it overnight to obtain an average reading - it should read between 1-5°C. If the reading is not right adjust the thermostatic control to obtain the correct temperature.
  • Store cooked and raw foods on separate shelves in the fridge. To avoid cross contamination from raw to cooked foods, store cooked foods and any ready to eat food at the top of the fridge and raw meat or poultry at the bottom, in the original wrapping or in a covered container.
  • Many foods need to go in the fridge, eg sauces, chutneys and jams, once they've been opened check the labels to see which ones.
  • Hot food can raise the temperature of the fridge and can make it unsafe for all the foods in it. Cool hot food, within one to two hours, before refrigerating it - transfer it from its hot cooking container into a clean cold one and cover loosely. Smaller amounts will cool quickly, so divide larger ones into smaller portions. When cold, place in the fridge, covered properly.
  • Avoid over-filling the fridge - it will stop working efficiently and the air flow will be restricted. Don't open the door any more than necessary and defrost and clean the fridge regularly.
  • Once opened, transfer the contents of cans into a clean container and store in the fridge.

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• In the freezer

  • Don't refreeze foods that have already defrosted.
  • If you buy food suitable for freezing, freeze it on the day of purchase.
  • Defrost and clean your freezer regularly.

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• In the storecupboard

  • Clean your cupboards and check the contents regularly - discard any storecupboard goods that have passed their best before dates.
  • If you store dried goods eg flour, sugar or pasta in airtight containers, make sure you wash and dry them thoroughly before re-filling.

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• Preparing food

  When preparing food, bear in mind the following groups are particularly at risk, pregnant women, elderly people, children under two, anyone already ill or convalescing.

  • Always wash your hands using hot water and soap before handling any type of food.
  • Always wash your hands thoroughly between handling raw and cooked food.
  • Use separate utensils for raw and cooked foods and use a separate chopping board for raw meat and fish to prevent contamination with other foods.
  • Wash work surfaces, chopping boards, utensils and hands thoroughly after touching raw meat or fish
  • If you have any cuts on your hands, ensure they are completely covered with a waterproof plaster.
  • Allow food enough time to thaw. Never re-freeze food once it has started to thaw. Defrost food thoroughly away from cooked food and any ready to eat food, on the bottom shelf of the fridge in a covered container to catch any juices.

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• Reheating and cooking food

  • Ensure that reheated food is piping hot right through.
  • Make sure ready-prepared dishes are cooked right through before serving and follow the pack instructions carefully.
  • If you are using prepared frozen foods, check the packet instructions to see if they can be cooked from frozen or need to be thawed first. If cooking from frozen, allow sufficient cooking time. If cooking previously frozen foods make sure they are fully defrosted before cooking if necessary.

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For more information

Find the Food and Drink Federation's food safety guide at www.foodlink.org.uk

The Food Standards Agency provides information on food safety at www.eatwell.gov.uk/keepingfoodsafe/