DONTs TOSTAYCLEAN
DOs &
DONTs TOSTAYCLEAN
Where food is concerned,
hygiene and safety should
always be paramount. But it
is easy to get complacent
in your own kitchen. With
Christmas on the way,
Tim Relf compiles a few
timely Dos and Donts to
ensure family and guests
dont get the unwanted
present of an upset stomach
– or worse
HAVE you washed your hands? Its a question asked of generations of kids before mealtime. One, also, that marks a good starting point for farmhouse kitchen hygiene. Consultant home economist Jennifer John recommends hand-washing before preparing any food – and between handling different meats. The aim is to prevent cross-contamination – especially with "high-risk" products such as pork and poultry.
Its especially relevant for farmers, she says, who come into the kitchen straight off the land. Wash them in a sink or basin separate from the one in which food is prepared and use anti-bacterial soap, hot water and disposable drying towels.
Cross contamination is also a potential issue on other areas, including work surfaces and chopping boards. Similarly in the fridge, so store raw meat on the bottom shelf to avoid any dripping. Food should also be loosely wrapped or covered, suggests Mrs John.
Fridges should be cleaned and emptied regularly. "Its amazing the sort of surprises people come across when they only clean them out occasionally. Dont use them as a dumping ground."
Its also important to allow cooked food to cool properly before putting it in the fridge. If you put food in warm, condensation will form, raising the temperature and putting other products at risk.
* Observe dates
Use-by dates should be closely observed, says MAFF in its advisory leaflet Food Safety. "You cant be sure food is safe by its look or smell. So, if it isnt eaten by the Use by date – or frozen if suitable – throw it away," advises MAFF. Most food that can safely be kept longer, meanwhile, carries a Best Before date-mark – suggesting it may not be dangerous just because this date has passed.
General cleanliness is the key, says Mrs John, so remove footwear and overalls when coming in from the farm. Floors, cupboards and work surfaces should also be kept clean. "Nothing beats plenty of soap and hot water and good attention to hygiene." And where animals – like cats and dogs – use the kitchen, keep their food bowls outside and keep them off the work surfaces.
If you start dealing with food on a scale larger than for personal and domestic consumption, you will probably deal with Environmental Health and Trading Standards. You will also encounter a wide range of legislation, including The Food Safety Act 1990.
Be prepared for this, as failure to comply could see your business closed, says Beds butcher and retailer Peter Harper. "They can stop you stone dead – its not something you can negotiate. You have to be able to comply willingly with the legislation – or its not worth going into it."
Forward planning is the key, says Mr Harper. "There is a right and wrong way of doing things. Youve got to get it right and you need to take advice from the professionals. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
Planning is vital, agrees Lynda Brown, who recently set up a "baconry" enterprise, processing pigs at Llandinam, Powys, and selling them as hams, sausages and bacon.
* Common sense
"A lot of it is common sense," says Lynda of designing the purpose-built unit. "We thought about where the building was in relation to the sun – to ensure it stayed cool. We also put in thermal insulation to keep it as cool as possible."
As for the hygiene requirements it is, she says, similar to those involved in farming. "You just overcome it. We have lived with the milking hygiene regulations for years."
Shopping for food:
Ensure pieces of meat or raw poultry are wrapped and separate from each other.
Separate raw and ready-to-eat foods in your shopping basket.
Try to buy chilled or frozen foods last.
Pack chilled/frozen foods together, preferably in a cool bag. Get them to a fridge or freezer as soon as possible.
Home storage:
Keep the coldest part of the fridge between 0C and 5C.
Keep the most perishable foods in the coolest part of the fridge.
Dont overload the fridge.
Store eggs in the fridge, throwing away broken or cracked ones.
Around the kitchen:
Wipe hands on a separate towel – not the tea towel.
Bleach, disinfect or change kitchen cloths or sponges often.
Cover cuts and grazes.
Wipe the tops of cans before opening them.
Be tidy. Open packets and spilt food can attract flies, ants and mice – which spread bacteria.