Four Rights in Food Safety Right Source: • •
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Always buy fresh meat, fish, fruits & vegetables. Always look for the expiry dates of processed foods and avoid buying the expired ones. Avoid buying canned foods with dents, bulges, deformation , broken seals and improperly seams. Use water only from clean and safe sources. When in doubt of the water source, boil water for 2 minutes.
Right Preparation: • • •
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Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked foods. Always buy pasteurized milk and fruit juices. Wash vegetables well if to be eaten raw such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes & carrots. Always wash hands and kitchen utensils before and after preparing food. Sweep kitchen floors to remove food droppings and prevent the harbor of rats & insects.
Right Cooking: •
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Cook food thoroughly. Temperature on all parts of the food should reach 70 degrees centigrade. Eat cooked food immediately. Wash hands thoroughly before and after eating.
Right Storage: •
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All cooked foods should be left at room temperature for NOT more than two hours to prevent multiplication of bacteria. Store cooked foods carefully. Be sure to use tightly sealed containers for storing food. Be sure to store food under hot conditions (at least or above 60 degrees centigrade) or in cold conditions (below or equal to 10 degrees centigrade). This is vital if you plan to store food for more than four to five hours. Foods for infants should not be stored at all. It should always be freshly prepared. Do not overburden the refrigerator by filling it with too large quantities of warm food. Reheat stored food before eating. Food should be reheated to at least 70 degrees centigrade.
Rule in Food Safety:
“When in doubt, throw it out!”