Useful information for preparing food at home.

Buying food

Make sure you never purchase food where the packaging has been compromised in anyway, such as swollen or dented cans.

Ensure you are checking the date markings on all packaging. If a food product has a use-by date it must not be sold after this date and should not be consumed for safety reasons.

If a food product has a best before date, it indicates the food will remain at its best quality up to that date.  It can be sold after this date and is a quality issue rather than a safety issue.

Packing your shopping bags

• Keep cold foods in a separate bag to hot foods
   
• Pick up any chilled, frozen or hot foods towards the end of the shopping trip to minimise time spent in the temperature danger zone.
   
• Keep raw meats in a separate bag and ensure you pack to ensure liquids do not leak onto other products
   
• Your reusable shopping bags should be washed regularly, in particular if they have been soiled by liquids
   
• High risk foods should be kept out of the temperature danger zone which is 5⁰C - 60⁰C.  Minimise the time food is spent in temperature danger zone by taking home as soon as possible. 

Food preparation in the home

• Always wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds;
  • before handling, preparing and eating food
  • after touching raw meat, fish, shell eggs or chicken
  • after using the toilet, attending to children’s (or others) toileting and changing nappies
  • after blowing your nose
  • after touching pets
• Wash all fruits and vegetables really well 
   
• Keep raw meats separate from cooked meats or ready to eat foods
   
• Cook food to a safe temperature of 75 ⁰C
   
• Divide food up so it cools quickly, try and place food in refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking
   
• Always defrost food by placing in the fridge overnight, under cold running water or in the microwave