Food safety is the most important factor in cooking and preparation methods. Unfortunately, most times you can't tell if food is safe to eat by how it looks or tastes. Therefore, proper storage, cooking and handling are the only ways to ensure safe food.
The USDA uses four simple words to remember the critical food safety rules. These are the core of NexDine food safety principles. They are Cook, Separate, Clean, Chill.
COOK - Cook all food to a safe internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria. The safety of ground meat has been receiving lots of attention lately, and with good reason. When meat is ground, the bacteria present on the surface are mixed all through the ground mixture. If this ground meat is not cooked to at least 160 to 165 degrees, bacteria will not be destroyed and there's a good chance food borne illness will ensue. The interior of solid pieces of meat like steaks and chops don't contain dangerous bacteria, so they can be cooked medium rare. Still, any beef cut should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees (medium rare). The safe temperature for poultry is 180 degrees. And solid cuts of pork should be cooked to 160 degrees. Eggs should be thoroughly cooked too. (Sorry - eggs over easy aren't good for you anymore!) If you are making a meringue or other recipe that uses uncooked eggs, buy specially pasteurized eggs or use prepared meringue powder.
Cooking Factoid - Chicken can't be treated the same as red meat. Chicken must be cooked thoroughly, all the way through, with no pinkness, and an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F. Chicken meat is less dense than beef or pork, and it's much easier for bacteria to travel through the flesh. Also, processing chickens is a much more invasive process than processing beef or pork, and bacteria usually are spread throughout the whole bird. So remember, chickens are always cooked to well done.
SEPARATE - Separate cooked and uncooked foods, as well as foods eaten raw and those cooked before eating. Cross-contamination occurs when raw meats or eggs come in contact with foods that will be eaten uncooked. This is a major source of food poisoning. We use the raw meats within 1-2 days of purchase, or freeze for longer storage. When grilling or cooking raw meats or fish, make sure to use a clean platter to hold the foods after cooking. We never use the same platter used to carry the raw food to the grill! Always wash tongs used in grilling after the food is turned for the last time on the grill, as well as spatulas and spoons used for stir-frying or turning meat as it cooks.
Be sure to wash your hands after handling raw meats or raw eggs. It is crucial to wash your hands with soap and water or a pre-moistened antibacterial towelette after you have touched raw meat or raw eggs to avoid cross-contamination.
CLEANING – This is a crucial part of food safety. Wash your hands and work surfaces frequently when you are cooking. Plain old soap and water are very effective. If you slowly sing a verse of "Happy Birthday To You" while washing your hands, you will have washed them for the proper length of time.
It is not uncommon to wash hands 20-30 times while cooking, and work surfaces are cleaned that often too. Wash tongs, spoons, and spatulas after they have touched uncooked meats or eggs. One easy way to avoid cross-contamination is to use a large platter to cut raw meats. After the meat is prepared and is cooking, just put the platter directly into the dishwasher, along with any utensils used to prepare the meat.
CHILLING - Chilling food is very important. The danger zone where bacteria multiply is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerators should be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below; your freezer should be 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Here's a simple rule: serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Use chafing dishes or hot plates to keep food hot while serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold foods cold. Never let any food sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours - 1 hour if the ambient temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
Here are some important links about food safety: