Would you like to become a Restaurant Expert Witness? Then, you should check the available certification programs through Ken Kuscher. Here, you will find plenty of valuable information regarding these types of certificates and direct access to links and sources for food handler certificate programs.
Did you know that there are four essential practices available regarding food safety and handling? These are the following: Clean thoroughly, Separate food items, Cook thoroughly & Chill immediately. Remember these steps to ensure that all your food is always kept safe and fresh.
You should clean all the cooking surfaces and wash your hands when handling food. The dangerous germs and bacteria that can lead to food poisoning survive in many places around your kitchen and spread quickly. Therefore, you should thoroughly wash your hands using soap and water for at least 20 to 30 seconds before handling food and after you finish. Also, clean/disinfect cooking surfaces and cutting boards using hot soapy water.
Avoid cross-contamination by keeping the raw meats, seafood, and poultry separate from other types of food. These raw food items can quickly spread germs, so pay attention when handling them. Even in the refrigerator, you should keep these food items separate from the rest of the foods. It would help if you were extremely careful and never allowed raw meat juices to leak toward other food items (in the fridge or while preparing food). Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat and fruits/vegetables.
Another misconception is that you should wash raw meat. You should never wash raw meat or eggs because while cleaning, the juices of raw meat spread to the countertops, cutting boards, and every other surface nearby, which is how germs will spread.
Foods also need to be cooked thoroughly. If needed, use a particular kitchen thermometer to ensure everything is well cooked. Bacteria also multiply fast if you leave raw food at room temperature. This is why it is very important to refrigerate food as soon as possible (keep refrigerator at or below 40F and your freezer at or below 0F).