Food Safety Basics (Part 3)

Food Safety Procedures - Food Premises

Permanent Kitchens - If your church uses a more permanent kitchen, like a community hall, the food handling processes and operations need to be organised so the food served is safe.

In your safe food kitchen you will need:

• plenty of hot and cold water
• refrigerators and freezers to keep the appropriate food at the correct temperature
• exhaust fans to keep the area free of smells and fumes
• hand washing facilities - a basin, soap and paper towels - these must be separate from dish washing facilities
• sinks big enough to clean cooking and serving equipment and utensils
• uncluttered surfaces which are easy to keep clean
• a place to store food where rodents and insects cannot get to it
• a way to stop pests like birds, animals and insects getting into the kitchen
• enough rubbish containers to collect and store waste.

Temporary Kitchens - You must take special care at temporary premises to keep food safe, protecting it from sunlight, dust, insects and handling by customers.

The following issues need to be considered when working in temporary food premises:

• you may need temporary food premises permit from the local council
• if there is no kitchen or food vehicle available you will need to rent a tent or marquee to prepare food in that is dedicated to this purpose
• benches or tables need to have surfaces that are smooth and easy to keep clean - plastic tablecloths are ideal
• hand washing facilities near the stall - with water, a basin, soap and paper towels (make your own hand washing facilities if there is nothing near the stall. You can make a water supply using drums with taps from a camping store and get hot water from an urn.) This should be kept separate from the dish washing facilities
• A place to wash up cooking equipment, dishes and utensils. You may have to make your own if there is nothing near the stall
• a way of dealing with wastewater from cooking, cleaning and hand washing - do not just tip them on the ground or down the drain
• refrigerators and freezers to keep the appropriate food at the correct temperature. If you plan to hire a portable cool room get one with a calibrated thermometer so you can check the temperature
• enough rubbish containers to collect and store all waste away from the food preparation area.

Food Safety Procedures - Food Preparation

Nearly all food contains bacteria and sometimes these bacteria can cause food poisoning. Food has to be handled correctly to make sure that it doesn't become contaminated and that the bacteria in it doesn't get a chance to increase in number and become harmful.

Receiving food - Keeping food safe starts from the moment that the food arrives from the stockists, whether that be a commercial contract or a trip to the local supermarket.

If you are buying perishable food you must make sure it arrives in a refrigerated food container or vehicle and check the temperature of deliveries when they arrive.

If you are purchasing from the local supermarket then proper cooler bags are required to store the food whilst travelling to the food storage area - much care must be taken here ensuring the food is kept at the correct temperature (more on this in the temperature checking section)

Dry goods like bread, staple ingredients or canned foods should be in good condition without torn packaging or heavily dented cans.

Preparing food - Because it is easy to transfer bacteria from raw to cooked food, it is important to have separate utensils, including cutting boards and knives for raw and cooked food. If this is not possible you must thoroughly wash and sanitise them before switching from raw to cooked food.

Wash all fruit and vegetables in clean water before using them.

Do not use food from damaged packaging - dented cans, torn packaging, leaking bottles/containers and cracked eggs.

Do not let raw food or raw food juices come into contact with cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

Handling food - Raw food that is going to be cooked can be handled with bare hands. Cooked or ready to eat food should NOT be handled with bare hands. Use tongs, spatulas, spoons or cover hands with disposable gloves.

Change disposable gloves:

• every hour
• when they tear
• when you change tasks, like from moving from cleaning to cooking or from raw food preparation to cooked food serving.

DISPOSABLE GLOVES SHOULD BE PURCHASED IN BULK AND FREELY AVAILABLE TO ALL THE TEAM.

Cooking and heating

• Thaw frozen food before cooking
• Thaw frozen food in the microwave or at the bottom of the refrigerator overnight
• NEVER put thawed food back into the freezer
• Cook thawed food immediately after thawing
• Cook all foods completely, especially meat, fish and chicken so that the meat juices should run clear and all the pinkness is gone
• Reheat thoroughly. Reheated food should be brought to the boil and simmered for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Preparing food at home - The golden rules for preparing food at home to bring along to functions are:

• Use only wholesome and undamaged food products. Do not use cracked eggs, products with mould or discolouration, badly dented or swollen cans, food from ripped or damaged packaging with broken seals.
• Check dates on food packages before using them. The 'use-by' or 'best before' date markings indicate the date at which the food will be at its best quality. After that date, some foods may still be OK, but other foods, such as dairy products, should not be used once that date has expired. IF IN DOUBT - THROW IT OUT!
• Follow food hygiene practices including, washing your hands thoroughly before handling food, using clean utensils and chopping boards and if you are feeling sick - do not prepare food.
• Use separate utensils and chopping boards when preparing 'ready to eat' foods such as salads, sandwiches and foods that need to be cooked further i.e. raw meat and chicken.
• Keep household pets out of the kitchen when preparing food.
• Ensure all work surfaces are clean.
• Keep raw meats separate from cooked foods or 'ready to eat' foods. If transporting raw meats and 'ready to eat' foods such as sandwiches, separate Eskies are required.
• Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly under running water before using.
• If making preserves, it is recommended that only acidic food be preserved at home (e.g. berries, mandarins and stone fruit). Vegetable preserves must be in a solution which contains at least half vinegar.
• If transporting food that has just been cooked, do not pack it whilst it is still warm, unless it can be delivered to the event in less than 30 minutes. Cool the food in the household refrigerator.

High-Risk Foods - Examples of 'high-risk foods' include dairy (custards, cream cakes, unbaked cheesecakes, soft cheeses), egg products (mayonnaise), small goods (ham, salami, strasbourg), and processed meat products like pate. Foods which would not be included in this group are dried food powders in their original package, jars, cans or other containers of food which have been processed by heat.