Food regulations in ADFCA help maintain food safety up to the time it reaches the consumer. After that, it's up to us – the consumer.

 You can prevent food poisoning by following these steps:

 Clean

Cleanness will decrease the possibility of food poisoning and other diseases markedly.

• Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching food, especially after using the toilet, blowing your nose or touching a pet.
• Wash your hands after handling raw meats, chicken, fish or vegetables with visible soil.
• Wash and dry chopping boards, utensils and work surfaces after preparing raw meats and poultry.
• Thoroughly clean all utensils, equipment and surfaces after preparing raw food and before contact with other foods. If possible use a separate cutting board specifically in preparation of salad.

Chill

 Food that is meant to be kept chilled should be:

1. As soon as possible after purchase foods should be refrigerated at or below 5 ºC. keep in coldness in your car to keep perishables cold enough, especially raw meat, poultry and fish.
2. A fridge thermometer should be used to make sure the temperature is at or below 5ºC. The temperature should be adjusted in with changing seasons and the amount of food stored, don’t overload refrigerators, as this reduces cooling efficiency.  
3. Cooked food should be stored in covered containers and either put in the fridge to cool, or frozen immediately.
4. Never defrost foods on the bench top. Foods should be defrosted overnight in the fridge or in the microwave.

Cook

Raw foods, such as meat and poultry, can contain bacteria which may cause food poisoning. Fortunately these bugs are killed through correct cooking:

1. Cook chicken, minced or boned meats, hamburger, stuffed meats and sausages right through until all juices are clear.
2. Make sure food is cooked thoroughly before serving. Poultry, minced meats, and sausages, right through to the centre. No pink should be left visible, whole pieces of red meat, such as steak, can be cooked to taste.
3. Defrost frozen poultry and rolled and stuffed meats thoroughly before cooking.
4. Always follow cooking instructions on packaged foods.

 

 How can I make sure my food is safe?

 

Control temperature

Bacteria in food can grow to unsafe levels between 5ºC and 60ºC. This is the

temperature Danger Zone. To keep food safe:

1.     Keep hot food steaming hot – at or above 60ºC.

2.     Keep cold food refrigerated – at or below 5ºC.

 

Prevent cross contamination

Bacteria can spread if raw meat and poultry touches (or drips onto) ready-to-eat foods. This is dangerous because the ready-to-eat foods, such as salad vegetables, often receive no further cooking and the bacteria are not killed, you can keep food safe:

1. Separate raw and cooked food. Keep raw meat and poultry in the bottom of the fridge or in a sealed container so it can’t drip onto ready to eat food and other food.
2. Keep kitchen and utensils clean. Wash boards, utensils and work surfaces between use for raw and ready to eat food.
3. Wash hands with soap, rinse and dry thoroughly before starting to cook and after preparing raw food.
4. Cover all stored food.