SAFE FOOD QUIZ

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Proper storage of food reduces the risk of food poisoning. Follow these tips to ensure your food is always safe to eat.

Some foods need to be kept in the fridge to help stop bacteria growing. These include foods with a "use by" date, cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods such as desserts and cooked meats.Fridge storage

Here's how to prevent bacteria from growing:

• Keep your fridge temperature below 5C.
• When preparing food, keep it out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.
• If you’re having a buffet, keep the food refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it.
• Cool leftovers as quickly as possible (within 90 minutes) and store them in the fridge. Eat them within two days.
• Store eggs in their box in the fridge.
• Never put open cans in the fridge as the metal of the can may transfer to the can's contents. Transfer the contents into a storage container or covered bowl.

“Make sure food has cooled down before you put it in the fridge,” says Philippa Hudson, senior lecturer in food safety at Bournemouth University.

“If the food is still hot it will raise the temperature in the fridge, which isn’t safe as it can promote bacterial growth.”

To ensure your fridge remains hygienic and in good working condition, clean it regularly.

“Food debris accumulates over time and can increase the risk of cross-contamination,” says Hudson.

No food lasts forever, however well it is stored. Most pre-packed foods carry either a "use by" or "best before" date.'Use by' dates

• "Use by" dates appear on foods that go off quite quickly. It can be dangerous to eat foods past this date.
• "Best before" dates are for foods with a longer life. They show how long the food will be at its best quality.

“Food can look and smell fine even after its use-by date,” says Hudson. “But that doesn’t mean that it's safe to eat. It could still be contaminated.”

Storing meat

It's especially important to store meat safely in the fridge to stop bacteria from spreading and avoid food poisoning.

• Store raw meat and poultry in clean, sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge, so they can't touch or drip onto other food.
• Follow any storage instructions on the label and don't eat meat after its use-by date.
• Keep cooked meat separate from raw meat.

Freezing and defrosting

It’s safe to freeze meat and fish as long as you:

• Freeze it before the use-by date.
• Defrost meat and fish thoroughly before cooking. Lots of liquid will come out as meat thaws, so stand it in a bowl to stop bacteria in the juice spreading to other things.
• Defrost in a microwave if you intend to cook straightaway. Otherwise, put it in the fridge to thaw so that it doesn't get too warm.
• Cook food until it's piping hot all the way through.

Re-freezing

Never re-freeze raw meat (including poultry) or fish that have been defrosted. It is possible to re-freeze cooked meat once, as long as it has been cooled before going into the freezer. However, if in doubt, don't re-freeze.

Frozen raw foods can be defrosted once and stored in the fridge for up to two days before they need to be cooked or thrown away. To reduce wastage, divide the meal into portions before freezing and then just defrost what you need.

When reheating food, make sure it reaches a temperature of 70C for two minutes so that it is steaming hot throughout.

Foods stored in the freezer, such as ice cream and frozen desserts, should not be returned to the freezer once they have started to thaw. Only take out from the freezer what you intend to use for that meal. 
Taken from: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/how-to-store-food-safely.aspx

Ways to make your food safer

There are several ways to make your food safer. Please watch the following video in order to know what the steps or ways are: 

Remember to take into consideration the previous suggestions so as to not have illnesses at home.