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Separating
Food eaten uncooked and food cooked before eating must always be separated.
Cross-contamination occurs when raw meat or eggs come into contact with food that
is eaten uncooked. This is one of the main causes of food poisoning. Always wrap raw
meat twice and place it at the lowest level in the refrigerator to prevent meat juices
or blood from dripping on fresh products. Then consume the raw meat within 1-2
days of purchase or freeze it for longer periods of storage. Defrost frozen meat in the
refrigerator, not on the countertop.
When grilling or cooking raw meat or fish, make sure that the cooked meat is placed
on a clean plate. Do not use the same plates that were used to grill the food. Wash the
utensils used for grilling immediately after grilling.
Make sure that you wash your hands after handling raw meat or eggs. Washing
your hands with soap and water or using damp antibacterial wipes is essential after
touching raw meat or eggs. Unwashed hands and surfaces are a major cause of cross-
contamination when cooking.
Cleaning
When cooking, clean hands and work surfaces several times. Wash your hands with
soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds, then dry them.
Cooling
Cooling food is very important. The risk areas in which bacteria can multiply are
between 4-6°C. Your refrigerator should be set to 4°C or lower. The freezer should be
set to -17°C or lower. Simple rule: Serve hot food hot, cold food cold. Use a hot plate
to keep food warm before serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold food cold. Never
leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Note: Special care must be taken when processing venison or other game, as it
can become heavily contaminated during field processing. Game meat is often
transported uncooled at temperatures that promote bacterial growth.