Urban Chefs Foods Safely 

Wash Hands Often

Proper hand washing may eliminate nearly half of all cases of foodborne illness and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu.

When You Wash

• Hands should be washed in warm, soapy water before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Always wash your hands front and back up to your wrists, between fingers and under fingernails.
• Never forget to wash your hands after switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables.
• Dry hands with disposable paper towels, clean cloth towels or air dry.
• Sing two choruses of "Happy Birthday" while you lather up — cleaning your hands for 20 seconds.

And Don't Forget Surfaces...

• Keep kitchen surfaces such as appliances, countertops, cutting boards and utensils clean with hot, soapy water.
• A smelly dishcloth, towel or sponge is a sure sign that unsafe bacterial growth is lurking nearby. Bacteria live and grow in damp conditions.
  • Wash dishcloths and towels often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
  • Disinfect sponges in a chlorine bleach solution.
  • Replace worn sponges frequently.

Before You                                          After You

Before You...

After You...

Keep Raw Meats and Ready-to Eat Foods Separate

Be careful with cutting boards.

When juices from raw meats or germs from unclean objects accidentally touch cooked or ready-to-eat foods (such as fruits or salads), cross-contamination occurs. If not cleaned correctly, the board harbors harmful bacteria.

Acrylic, glass, marble, plastic or solid wood?

You choose. Just follow these guidelines:

• Use two cutting boards: one strictly to cut raw meat, poultry and seafood; the other for ready-to-eat foods, like breads and vegetables. Don't confuse them.
• Wash boards thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use or place in dishwasher.
• Discard old cutting boards that have cracks, crevices and excessive knife scars.

Reminders To Prevent Cross-Contamination:

• Wash plates between uses or use separate plates: one for holding raw meat, poultry and seafood; another for cooked foods.
• Store raw meats, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so juices don't drip onto other foods.
• Place washed produce into clean storage containers, not back into the original ones.
• Use one utensil to taste and another to stir or mix food.
• Make sure you use clean scissors or blades to open bags of food.
• MaWear latex gloves if you have a sore or cut on your hand.

Special Precaution:

After cutting raw meats on your board, first clean thoroughly with hot soapy water, then disinfect with chlorine bleach or other sanitizing solution, and last rinse with clean water.

Cook to Proper Temperatures

Harmful bacteria are destroyed when food is cooked to proper temperatures.

Buy a meat thermometer and use it! This is the only reliable way to ensure safety and to determine the doneness of cooked meats, poultry, egg dishes, and leftovers.

How To Get An Accurate Thermometer Reading

• d meats, roasts, steaks, chops and poultry pieces: insert in center of the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle.
• Poultry (whole bird): insert in inner thigh area near the breast, but not touching bone.
• Ground meat and poultry: place in the thickest area of meatloaf or patty; with thin patties, insert sideways reaching the very center with the stem.
• Egg dishes and casseroles: insert in center or thickest area of the dish.
• Fish: cook until opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Reminders To Prevent Cross-Contamination:

• Wash plates between uses or use separate plates: one for holding raw meat, poultry and seafood; another for cooked foods.
• Store raw meats, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so juices don't drip onto other foods.
• Place washed produce into clean storage containers, not back into the original ones.
• Use one utensil to taste and another to stir or mix food.
• Make sure you use clean scissors or blades to open bags of food.
• MaWear latex gloves if you have a sore or cut on your hand.

Important Tips:

Always remember to wash the thermometer stem thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use!

Learn How To Calibrate Your Food Thermometer

Refrigerate Promptly Below 40°F

Refrigerate foods quickly and at a proper temperature to slow the growth of bacteria and prevent foodborne illness.

Leftover foods from a meal should not stay out of refrigeration longer than two hours. In hot weather (90°F or above), this time is reduced to one hour.

Also, make sure your refrigerator is set below 40°F. This will keep perishable foods out of what's called the "danger zone" — 40°F or above. Keep a refrigerator thermometer inside your refrigerator at all times!

Important Tip:

When in doubt, throw it out!