Consumer food handling in the home

Food Safety and Handling Practices

Food is necessary for maintaining human existence. But, if not managed properly and hygienically, the advantages of a healthy lifestyle may be transformed into a glaring nightmare with a tragic outcome. Thus, food must be handled in a way that safeguards the delicacy’s consumers during storage, preparation, and service. Using procedures for managing food entails taking precautions to avoid food contamination during the stages of storage, preparation, and serving. This post describes safe food handling practices used in our organization’s preparation of the beef, rice, and cabbage salad main course. The establishment employs cooks who maintain exceptional hygiene standards, utilize clean kitchen outfits, only use gloves once, then discard them. Preparation of Meat (Frozen)

Handling Frozen Meat

The frozen meat obtained from the refrigerators where they had been stored at temperatures between 0°C to 2°C. The given range of temperature is favorable as it helps in the preservation of meat while retaining the flavor of the meat. Before taking frozen beef from the refrigerator, the grill chef ascertains the cleanliness of the kitchen tables (Redmond et al., 2003). The grill chef sets the meat cutting boards by cleaning and sanitizing. When processing starts, the chef takes accompanying measures to remove any further contamination of the raw meat. These steps, taken by the rotisserie, include: Ensuring that all preparing tables and cutting boards are now cleaned and sanitized; washing and disinfecting boards instantly after use and drying; isolating cutting boards for cooked meat. Cutting instruments and machines represent an undeniable hazard for cross-contamination. Thus, the sanitization of the cooking equipment limits dangers posed by cross-contamination (Redmond et al., 2003).

Temperature Control

After the cooking of meat, the hot cooked dish is kept at temperatures of not lower than 60 °C (Gorman et al., 2002). The cold meat dish, on the other hand, is held at temperatures not higher than 4.4 ºC. When serving food at a buffet, the server keeps cooked meat hot with chafing dishes, moderate cookers, and warming plate. The chef keeps cooked meat cold by nesting dishes, bowls or utilizes small serving plates and frequently changes them. Since meat is perishable food it is maintained above the room temperature and temperatures not less than 32.2 ºC (Gorman et al., 2002).

Preparation of Rice (Starch)

Preparation of rice satisfies the starch needs of the full meal. Bearing in mind the high-risk factors associated with rice in causing food poisoning, through exacerbating the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning, several measures must be observed in its preparation. The chef washes his hands before handling rice, washes rice thoroughly, and uses just clean equipment and avoids the use of same cutlery used in processing raw or cooked meat (Redmond et al., 2003). The chef cools little amounts and serves fresh. Rice is not stored at room temperature. After cooking, the rice cook allows rice to cool rapidly and place in the refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 8°C. The cooked hot rice is kept in the fridge at temperatures not less than 63°C. Where warming of the prepared rice is necessary, the temperatures are maintained at a minimum of 75°C (Gorman et al., 2002).

Preparation of Cabbage Salad

The salad chef washes hands with hot soapy water, for no less than 20 seconds; removes external leaves of the cabbage before washing. He must refrigerate fresh vegies inside two hours of peeling or cutting. The salad chef washes all fresh vegetables under running, clean water before peeling or cutting, washes all fresh vegetables under running, clean water before peeling, cutting or eating. In the washing process, the salad chef ensures the temperature of the washing water is boiled at 10°F, hotter than the temperature of any cabbage being washed- to prevent absorption of water and heat shock and bacteria from entering the inside cells of the vegetables (Gorman et al., 2002). In ensuring the safety of the cutlery, the chef washes cutting knife, dishes, and utensils (with hot soapy water) and sanitizes them before cutting new vegies. Further, he cleans cutting boards and tools when handling of new vegetables. He may use one clean cutting board for fresh vegetables and a different one from the one used for raw meat. The chef may also dispose of extra cut vegies if left at room temperature for over two hours (Redmond et al., 2003).

Conclusion

Healthy living is an outcome of what we take in. Many people rely on restaurants and hotels to get food. It is in this view that the restaurant is keen on abiding by safety food handling techniques. Cleanliness of equipment in the restaurant kitchen, the division of areas of work in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination, and strict adherences to proper food handling techniques ensure we deliver safe meals for our customers. Appropriate food handling techniques guarantees that dishes served to clients are safe for consumption. It counteracts unsafe bacteria that can cause food poisoning and cross-contaminations, empowers organizations to follow the law, and protects the image of the enterprise.

References

Redmond, E. C., & Griffith, C. J. (2003). Consumer food handling in the home: a review of food safety studies. Journal of food protection, 66(1), 130-161.

Gorman, R., Bloomfield, S., & Adley, C. C. (2002). A study of cross-contamination of food-borne pathogens in the domestic kitchen in the Republic of Ireland. International journal of food microbiology, 76(1), 143-150.