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Practice The Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness
Practice The Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness
the Basics
of Food
Safety To To
Prevent
Foodborne Illness
Practice the Basics
Food
Safety
Prevent
Foodborne Illness
CLEAN
Everything that touches food should be cleanstarting with your hands.
Wash your hands with warm water and soap, scrubbing all parts of the hands,
including under your fingernails, for at least 20 seconds before and after
preparing, serving, handling, and eating food. When handling food, wash
your hands when you switch between tasks, like after handling raw meat
and before handling fresh produce or other ready-to-eat foods that do not
require further cooking (like bread, cheese, or cooked chicken).
Also wash your hands after going to the bathroom, changing diapers,
coughing, sneezing, touching animals, handling garbage, or tending to
someone who is sick or injured. Dry hands with a clean paper towel, and
use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open doors.
20 Seconds
Assist children with washing their hands before meals as well as before and
after helping with food preparation. Help children wash their hands after
going to the bathroom.
* The food safety guidelines contained in this tip sheet are based on recommendations found on the Web site
www.foodsafety.gov. Providers should check with their State agency or sponsoring organization for the
specific food safety requirements in the communities they serve.
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Keep It Clean
Always start preparing food with clean cutting boards, pots, pans, utensils, and counter tops.
Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each
food item and before you go on to the next. This is especially important before and after preparing
raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
Use clean towels or paper towels to wipe kitchen surfaces, counter tops, sinks, and tables. Dirty
towels and sponges often collect and spread bacteria, instead of removing them. TIP: To kill germs,
put damp sponges in the microwave for 1 minute on full power or through a full wash-dry cycle in the
dishwasher. Use new sponges frequently.
After washing and drying, you may choose to sanitize the food preparation surfaces with a solution of
1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Spray surfaces or immerse
cutting boards and utensils with the bleach solution, and let surfaces air dry.
Do not allow books, backpacks, or other items to be placed on tables or counters where food will be
prepared or served. Keep pets and other animals off of tables and counters too.
Rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables just before peeling, eating, cutting, or cooking.
Under running water, rub produce briskly with your hands and scrub
firm-skinned fruits and vegetables with a clean produce brush to remove dirt
and germs. Some vegetables, like lettuce, celery, and broccoli, should be
broken apart before rinsing to remove dirt between the different layers.
Before opening cans of food, wash the top of the can under clean running water. Then, dry the can with
a clean cloth or paper towel.
Do not rinse raw fish, seafood, meat, and poultry. Bacteria in these raw juices can splash and spread to
other foods and surfaces. Cooking foods thoroughly will kill harmful bacteria.
SEPARATE
Separate foods that are ready to eat from those that are raw or that might contain harmful germs. Be
sure to separate foods at each step of food handling. Keep fruits and vegetables away from raw meat,
poultry, and seafood while buying, storing, or preparing them.
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Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in plastic bags when food shopping to prevent juices from leaking
or dripping. Separate them from other foods in your grocery cart and bags.
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on a plate, or in a container or sealed plastic bag on the bottom
shelf of the refrigerator, so juices dont drip onto other foods.
more 'separate' tips on next page ...
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
Use one clean cutting board for fresh produce or ready-to-eat food items and a separate
one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Label the cutting boards or use different colored
cutting boards so there is no confusion. Always wash cutting boards in hot,
soapy water in between uses.
Use separate plates and utensils for cooked and raw foods. Never place cooked
food on a dirty plate or cutting board that held raw meat, poultry, seafood,
or eggs.
COOK
Food is safely cooked when a food thermometer indicates the food has reached a safe enough internal
temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that causes foodborne illness.
Never thaw foods on the kitchen counter or at room temperature. Defrost foods on the bottom shelf
of the refrigerator overnight. Another option is to place food that is either packaged or contained
within an air-tight bag or container under cold, running tap water until fully thawed. Only a thin
stream of running water is needed. For a quick thaw, use the defrost option on a
microwave oven, but only if you are going to cook the food immediately after it
is thawed.
165 oF
160 oF
Use a clean food thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Insert it far enough into the food
to get a good reading. Place it in the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone. Clean
your food thermometer with hot, soapy water after each use. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
Kitchen_Thermometers/index.asp#4
Cover food, and stir, rotate, and/or flip food periodically to help foods cook evenly in a microwave oven.
Doing so will prevent the food from having cold spots, which can hold bacteria. Always follow
cooking instructions on food packages, and use microwave-safe cookware.
CHILL
Use appropriate thermometers (food, oven, refrigerator) to ensure that hot food stays
hot, cold food stays cold, and that perishable foods do not remain in the danger zone.
Pay close attention to time and temperature to keep foods safe.
140 oF
DANGER
ZONE
40 oF
The danger zone is the temperature range 40 F to 140 F where bacteria grow
most rapidly.
more 'chill' tips on next page ...
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
57
Keep the refrigerator at 40 F or below. Keep the freezer at 0 F or below. Use thermometers designed
for each location and check the temperatures regularly, according to your State
agency or sponsoring organizations recommendations or policies.
Never leave perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than a total of 2 hours. If
the temperature is over 90 F where the food is out of the refrigerator (such as at
a picnic or field trip), food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
Chill perishable foods promptly (these include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers).
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers as soon as possible but no longer
than 2 hours after purchase, preparation, or serving.
Divide large amounts of cooked leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
Divide large cuts of meat or roasts into smaller pieces before refrigerating.
Reheat all leftovers to a minimum internal temperature of 165 F, and discard perishable food left out
more than 2 hours (or 1 hour during warm weather if the outdoor temperature is above 90 F). Use
a food thermometer to check the foods internal temperature.
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Freeze sandwiches (remove lettuce and tomato) to keep them cold longer.
Consider packing beverages in a different coolerthe beverage cooler may be opened more
often, so keeping drinks and food separate ensures the food stays cooler longer.
more 'questions' on next page ...
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
Immediately before leaving, use a cooler to pack food right from the refrigerator. Add enough
ice or gel packs to keep food cold. Single-serving boxed juice drinks could be partially frozen
as a cold source for food, but might not defrost by lunchtime. Food and leftover food are only
safe if the cooler still has ice in it. If the ice or cooling source has melted or thawed, discard
the food.
In the summer, eat foods shortly after they are prepared.
Q: How do I select safe food and keep it safe from the grocery store to my child care program?
A: There are many ways you can choose safe foods and keep them safe until you return to your
child care program.
2013
C 15
E
BY D
SELL
Keep a cooler in your car to transport perishable foods, and go straight to your
child care program to put cold foods in the refrigerator quickly.
Always refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours, except if the
temperature outside is 90 F or more, which reduces this time to
within 1 hour.
Q: How do I get more information about child care involvement in food safety?
A: Go to the Additional Resources section on page 100 to find more information on food safety, and ways
you can educate children and involve them in handling food safely.
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
59
Activities
How can I put this information into practice?
Read the following story. Think about whether the four steps to food safety were followed.
Ms. Maria began preparing lunch for the
children at ABC Child Care after washing her
hands and putting on a hairnet. There is chicken
frying in the pan, and some more raw chicken
on the cutting board. She is happy the raw
chicken defrosted fully overnight after she left
the package on the kitchen counter. Ms. Maria
decided to make fruit salad. She moved the raw
chicken onto a plate and used the same cutting
board to slice a honeydew melon in half. She
cut it into bite-sized pieces and placed the pieces
in a bowl on the counter. She put the other
half of the melon on a plate before putting it
in the refrigerator. She noticed the refrigerator
thermometer read 46 F.
Write down the correct action steps for each of the mistakes you found. What could Ms. Maria and
Ms. Anna have done differently to be more food safe? (Use another piece of paper if needed.)
Ms. Maria should defrost the chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator overnight,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
or use another food-safe method of thawing frozen foods.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
Answers
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children: Provider Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Practice the Basics of Food Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness http://www.teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html
61
The correct action step for each mistake is written below. Review the appropriate section of the Food Safety tip
sheet on pages 55-59 for more detail on the answer.
13 See answer for #2.
1 Ms. Maria should defrost the chicken on the
bottom shelf of the refrigerator overnight,
14 Ms. Maria should wash the can opener after
or use another food-safe method of thawing
using it. (Clean)
frozen foods. (Chill)
15 Ms. Anna should wash her hands after playing
2 Ms. Maria and Ms. Anna should always
with the children, before coming into the
prepare food with clean cutting boards,
kitchen to prepare food, and before serving
utensils, plates, trays, and counter tops.
food to the children. It is recommended that
(Clean)
Ms. Anna wear a hair restraint (like a hat or
hairnet) to keep her hair from falling into food,
3 Ms. Maria should use separate cutting boards
equipment, and utensils. (Clean)
and knives when handling raw chicken and
fruits. Use one clean cutting board and knife
16 Ms. Anna should use a separate, clean spoon to
for the raw chicken, and a separate cutting
taste the mashed potatoes. The same spoon that
board and knife to cut the melon. (Separate)
is being used to mix the mashed potatoes should
not be used for tasting. (Clean and Separate)
4 Ms. Maria should rinse the honeydew melon
before cutting it. (Clean)
17 See answer for #2.
5 The cut half of the honeydew melon
18 Ms. Maria and Ms. Anna should assist children
should be covered before placing it in the
with washing their hands before they sit down
refrigerator. (Chill)
for lunch. (Clean)
6 The refrigerator temperature should be below 19 See answer for #15.
40 F. (Chill)
20 The same sponge used to wipe countertops
7 Ms. Maria should properly insert a clean food
should not be used to wash the cutting board or
thermometer into the chicken to check that
dishes. Instead of using a sponge, Ms. Maria
the internal temperature has reached 165 F.
could use clean towels or single-use paper
(Cook)
towels to wipe the counter tops and tables. If
using a sponge to clean, sanitize it between uses
8 Ms. Maria should wash her hands when
to kill germs. Sponges should be sanitized often.
switching between tasks, like after handling
(Clean)
raw chicken and before touching the bag of
grapes. (Clean)
21 Ms. Maria should wash her hands instead of
wiping them on her apron. (Clean)
9 Ms. Maria should put the chicken directly
in the pan to cook it to the proper internal
22 See answer for #20.
temperature. (Clean)
23 The cutting board should be washed in hot,
10 Ms. Maria should wash her hands after eating
soapy water, instead of in cold water. (Clean)
the grapes and before preparing the fruit
24 Ms. Anna should throw away the fruit salad.
salad. (Clean)
The fruit salad should have been put in the
11 Ms. Maria should wash the grapes. (Clean)
refrigerator promptly after lunch, or within
2 hours of preparation. (Chill)
12 Ms. Maria should wash and dry the top of the
can of peaches before opening it. (Clean)
Circle any food safety mistakes that you may have missed above. Not sure why it was a mistake?
Go back to the section of the food safety tip referenced at the end of the mistake.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Nutrition Service FNS-440 June 2013
USDA and HHS are equal opportunity providers and employers.