Home Food Safety

Refrigerating and Freezing

Before you put the groceries away, check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. Your refrigerator should be set for 40° F (5° C) and your freezer should be set to 0° F (-18° C) or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying. If your refrigerator doesn't have a thermostat, it's a good idea to invest in a thermometer for the fridge and freezer.

Of course, refrigerated and frozen items should be put away first. Here are some quick tips to remember for foods that need to be kept cool:

• Keep eggs in the original carton on a shelf in your refrigerator (most refrigerator doors don't keep eggs cold enough).
• Put meat, poultry, and fish in separate plastic bags so that their juices don't get on your other foods.
• Freeze — or cook — raw meat, poultry, or fish within 2 days.

Preparing and Cooking

Follow these handling and cooking guidelines to help prevent foodborne illnesses in your family.

Raw Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Egg Products

• Wash your hands with hot water and soap before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products.
• Keep raw meats and their juices away from other foods in the refrigerator and on countertops.
• Use separate utensils for cooking and serving raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or wash the utensils in hot, soapy water before using them to serve).
• Never put cooked food on a dish that was holding raw meat, poultry, or fish.
• Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
• Cook thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately.
• Throw away any leftover uncooked meat, poultry, or fish marinades.
• Do not allow raw eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours to reduce the risk of Salmonella infection.
• Thoroughly cook eggs.
• Never serve foods that contain raw eggs, such as uncooked cookie dough, homemade eggnog, mousse, and homemade ice cream. If you want to use these recipes, substitute pasteurized eggs (found in the grocery store's dairy case) for raw eggs.
• Cook meat until the juices run clear.
• Cook ground beef or poultry until it's no longer pink.

Use a meat thermometer to tell whether meats are cooked thoroughly. (Place the thermometer in the thickest portion of the meat and away from bones or fat.)

When cooking, broiling, or grilling meats on the stove, turn them over at least once. In the microwave, cover all meats and:

• Turn patties over and rotate the dish halfway through cooking.
• Rotate meatloaf dishes halfway through cooking (and let sit for up to 7 minutes after cooking before eating — consult your owner's manual).
• Stir ground meats once or twice.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Scrub all fruits and vegetables with plain water (even if you plan on peeling them) to remove any pesticide residue, dirt, or bacteria.
• Wash melons, such as cantaloupes and watermelons, before eating to avoid carrying bacteria from the rind to the knife to the inside of the fruit.
• Remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce.

Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning List

Schedule for keeping your kitchen clean:

Here is a handy list that outline how to keep your restaurant kitchen spic and span. Some jobs should be done several times a day, while others need to only be done weekly or monthly.

Follow the link below for the article:

http://restaurants.about.com/od/restaurantkitchens/a/Clean_Kitchen.htm

Restaurant Best Management Practices to Prevent Stormwater Runoff

Pollutants which enter into stormwater catch basins are harmful to the environment. Substances such as Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) are especially of concern. Because stormwater contents are deposited into streams or the ocean untreated, they can cause harm to fish, waterfowl, and other aquatic wildlife. Oil and grease can clog fish gills and may also form a shiny layer on top of water, preventing crucial aquatic plants and seaweed from receiving sunlight.

• Locate dumpsters and storage containers away from stormwater catch basins.
• Make sure dumpsters do not have any leaks. If there is a leak, contact your waste collection company, who will either repair the leak or replace the dumpster.
• Use absorbent pads (not loose material such as kitty litter), to clean up FOG spills outside, and dispose of the used pads in the garbage.
• Use absorbent pads in stormwater catch basins if grease dumpsters are located within 20 feet of the catch basin.
• Clean exhaust hoods regularly. FOG may collect and accumulate on the roof of your building. The accumulated waste may runoff during a rainstorm. In addition, the accumulation of FOG on your roof may start a fire.
• Avoid using outside cleaning products that contain harsh ingredients such as phosphates.
• Clean stormwater catch basins at least twice a year; once in the spring and once in late fall. They should also be cleaned after any spills.
• Make sure that any company you hire to clean your exhaust hoods, vents, or grills is not dumping the material down a storm drain or leaving wastes in roof gutters.