Studies show that at 37°C, bacteria can multiply from 1 to 1 million within 6 hours. Bacterial growth in food creates risks of severe bacterial infections. The most common infections caused by incorrect food handling include listeria, salmonella, norovirus, and transmission of campylobacter or E.coli. Normally, a contamination with bacteria causes discomfort and illness for the affected, but it is not uncommon for people with bad immune systems to experience serious illness or even death.
A high standard of food safety is easier to apply and maintain, if all processes for food handling are considered with food safety in mind. We have gathered tips and ideas for what to consider in three different phases of working with food: food storage, food preparation, and food transportation.
Food storage: the faster the better
Food storage is one of the first steps where you have to be strict about handling food correctly in order to avoid harmful bacteria and to secure food safety. When preparing your food for storage, a basic rule is the faster the better.
This rule should be reconcidered based on the needs of the product you are about to handle. For example, a sealed can of tomatoes does not need to be stored as quickly as your milk needs to be refridgerated. A sealed can of tomatoes does not need to be stored as quickly as your milk requires refrigeration.
Problems with food storage are often seen with perishable and semi perishable foods:
- Perishable foods: i.e. milk, meat, cold meat, leftovers, fruit and vegetables
- Semi perishable foods: i.e. bread, cake and pastries
Perishable foods should be stored in either the refrigerator or freezer. When keeping perishable foods like milk or cold meat in the refrigerator, the recommended temperature of the refrigerator varies, as there is no regulation about the subject across countries in a worldwide perspective..
All food will decompose over time, therefore we always recommend checking the expiration date and quality of the product before use.
Food preparation: hygiene, cross-contamination and temperature
The next step is the preparation of your incoming foods. In order to secure a high level of food safety, be aware of hygiene, temperature and cross-contamination in your food preparation methods.
Hygiene
To maintain high standards for hygiene in your kitchen, it is important to always be alert of cleaning in the right way. Your hygiene should focus on two parts: Your personal hygiene and the general hygiene in your kitchen. Both are very important when aiming for a perfectly clean food preparation environment.
Maintaining a high level of personal hygiene when preparing food is often a question of performing good hand hygiene. Your hands are your tools when cooking meaning that your hands are most in contact with food. Therefore, it is important to have a clean basis and start your cooking with clean hands. Learn here, how to clean your hands to perfection.
Handwashing and disinfection should be done every time there is a need for it. A good rule of thumb is to wash and disinfect your hands every time you go to a new task or touch a new kind of food or surface. To maintain a high personal hygiene, it is valuable to consider the following points:
- Remove items that can contaminate your foods and kitchen surfaces. Remove for instance jewelry from your fingers and wrists, and make sure that your hair will not get in contact with food or the kitchen environment.
- You should always perform hand hygiene before using gloves. The use of gloves provides an extra layer of protection to avoid cross-contamination of foods, and also contamination from wounds or minor cuts you may have. In addition to protection, gloves provide a comfortable experience when working with textured foods or wet food products. Learn more here.
Having a high standard of kitchen hygiene requires continuous cleaning and disinfection. It is important to choose a cleaning product which is right for the task, you are about to handle. Furthermore, you should always disinfect afterwards in order to kill bacteria. Cleaning your surfaces in your kitchen is not enough to guarantee a bacteria free environment.
Food preparation methods
Preparing foods may not seem like a difficult task, however it requires a attention and control to ensure the food is at the correct temperature when stored and cooked. Cooking food thoroughly is important as bacteria can be killed at the correct temperature.
- When preparing sliced meat and dishes with eggs, the core temperature of the food must be at least 75°C. This rule also applies to dishes which are made for serving later. For example, in the catering industry where food is often pre-prepared and heated up again by the customer.
- When cooking warm dishes for a buffet or similar, it is important that the dish maintains the warm temperature at all times. If the temperature of the dish goes below 65°C, bacteria may begin to grow. According to Scandinavian standards, a dish that goes below 65°C may be reheated, to minimum of 75°C, but only if the dish has been below 65°C for less than three hours. If the dish has been cooled down for longer, the dish has to be discarded for safety reasons.
- If your dish is intended for storage in the refrigerator or freezer, it is important to cool down the food rapidly. Fast cooling of a dish or prepared food stops the growth of bacteria within the product.
Studies show that at 37°C, bacteria can multiply from 1 to 1 million within 6 hours. Bacterial growth in food creates risks of severe bacterial infections. The most common infections caused by incorrect food handling include listeria, salmonella, norovirus, and transmission of campylobacter or E.coli. Normally, a contamination with bacteria causes discomfort and illness for the affected, but it is not uncommon for people with bad immune systems to experience serious illness or even death.
A high standard of food safety is easier to apply and maintain, if all processes for food handling are considered with food safety in mind. We have gathered tips and ideas for what to consider in three different phases of working with food: food storage, food preparation, and food transportation.
Food storage: the faster the better
Food storage is one of the first steps where you have to be strict about handling food correctly in order to avoid harmful bacteria and to secure food safety. When preparing your food for storage, a basic rule is the faster the better.
This rule should be reconcidered based on the needs of the product you are about to handle. For example, a sealed can of tomatoes does not need to be stored as quickly as your milk needs to be refridgerated. A sealed can of tomatoes does not need to be stored as quickly as your milk requires refrigeration.
Problems with food storage are often seen with perishable and semi perishable foods:
- Perishable foods: i.e. milk, meat, cold meat, leftovers, fruit and vegetables
- Semi perishable foods: i.e. bread, cake and pastries
Perishable foods should be stored in either the refrigerator or freezer. When keeping perishable foods like milk or cold meat in the refrigerator, the recommended temperature of the refrigerator varies, as there is no regulation about the subject across countries in a worldwide perspective..
All food will decompose over time, therefore we always recommend checking the expiration date and quality of the product before use.
Food preparation: hygiene, cross-contamination and temperature
The next step is the preparation of your incoming foods. In order to secure a high level of food safety, be aware of hygiene, temperature and cross-contamination in your food preparation methods.
Hygiene
To maintain high standards for hygiene in your kitchen, it is important to always be alert of cleaning in the right way. Your hygiene should focus on two parts: Your personal hygiene and the general hygiene in your kitchen. Both are very important when aiming for a perfectly clean food preparation environment.
Maintaining a high level of personal hygiene when preparing food is often a question of performing good hand hygiene. Your hands are your tools when cooking meaning that your hands are most in contact with food. Therefore, it is important to have a clean basis and start your cooking with clean hands. Learn here, how to clean your hands to perfection.
Handwashing and disinfection should be done every time there is a need for it. A good rule of thumb is to wash and disinfect your hands every time you go to a new task or touch a new kind of food or surface. To maintain a high personal hygiene, it is valuable to consider the following points:
- Remove items that can contaminate your foods and kitchen surfaces. Remove for instance jewelry from your fingers and wrists, and make sure that your hair will not get in contact with food or the kitchen environment.
- You should always perform hand hygiene before using gloves. The use of gloves provides an extra layer of protection to avoid cross-contamination of foods, and also contamination from wounds or minor cuts you may have. In addition to protection, gloves provide a comfortable experience when working with textured foods or wet food products. Learn more here.
Having a high standard of kitchen hygiene requires continuous cleaning and disinfection. It is important to choose a cleaning product which is right for the task, you are about to handle. Furthermore, you should always disinfect afterwards in order to kill bacteria. Cleaning your surfaces in your kitchen is not enough to guarantee a bacteria free environment.
Food preparation methods
Preparing foods may not seem like a difficult task, however it requires a attention and control to ensure the food is at the correct temperature when stored and cooked. Cooking food thoroughly is important as bacteria can be killed at the correct temperature.
- When preparing sliced meat and dishes with eggs, the core temperature of the food must be at least 75°C. This rule also applies to dishes which are made for serving later. For example, in the catering industry where food is often pre-prepared and heated up again by the customer.
- When cooking warm dishes for a buffet or similar, it is important that the dish maintains the warm temperature at all times. If the temperature of the dish goes below 65°C, bacteria may begin to grow. According to Scandinavian standards, a dish that goes below 65°C may be reheated, to minimum of 75°C, but only if the dish has been below 65°C for less than three hours. If the dish has been cooled down for longer, the dish has to be discarded for safety reasons.
- If your dish is intended for storage in the refrigerator or freezer, it is important to cool down the food rapidly. Fast cooling of a dish or prepared food stops the growth of bacteria within the product.
Food transportation storage – food containers and labelling
Catering and takeaway foods require good and long-lasting food container solutions that can transport your dishes to your customer without affecting the quality of your final product. Therefore, is it important to choose the right food container for your task by considering the purpose your containers have to fulfill.
Food containers for different purposes
When choosing food containers, be aware of the specifications needed for your chosen container. If you seek a solution that can be used for dishes intended for reheating, choose containers that can tolerate heat. These include:
- C-PET: Can be heated in both an oven and in the microwave
- PP or Bagasse (Bagasse is an eco-friendly solution made of sugar canes): Can be reheated in the microwave
- Aluminum: Can be reheated in a regular oven or on the grill
Remember to always be aware of the temperature of the food. If you deliver warm dishes to your customers, make sure that the temperature of the food does not fall below 65°C. You can use insulated transportation boxes to keep the food hot or cold.
Label your containers to ensure food safety
Ensure food safety after purchase by labelling your containers properly. You can also label your containers with instructions on how to reheat the dish correctly.
Tip: Use safe cover solutions or sealing films so that food is not contaminated during transport
Food transportation storage – food containers and labelling
Catering and takeaway foods require good and long-lasting food container solutions that can transport your dishes to your customer without affecting the quality of your final product. Therefore, is it important to choose the right food container for your task by considering the purpose your containers have to fulfill.
Food containers for different purposes
When choosing food containers, be aware of the specifications needed for your chosen container. If you seek a solution that can be used for dishes intended for reheating, choose containers that can tolerate heat. These include:
- C-PET: Can be heated in both an oven and in the microwave
- PP or Bagasse (Bagasse is an eco-friendly solution made of sugar canes): Can be reheated in the microwave
- Aluminum: Can be reheated in a regular oven or on the grill
Remember to always be aware of the temperature of the food. If you deliver warm dishes to your customers, make sure that the temperature of the food does not fall below 65°C. You can use insulated transportation boxes to keep the food hot or cold.
Label your containers to ensure food safety
Ensure food safety after purchase by labelling your containers properly. You can also label your containers with instructions on how to reheat the dish correctly.
Tip: Use safe cover solutions or sealing films so that food is not contaminated during transport