Handling Meat & Poultry Safely
To avoid food-borne illnesses, please follow these safe guidelines for handling, cooking and storing meat.
 

Thaw Food Safely

  • Thaw in a refrigerator, this ensures slow safe thawing.
    Ensure that the juices from thawing don’t drip on other foods.
  • Fast thawing: Place food in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerge in cold water.
  • While using a microwave for thawing, cook meat or poultry immediately after thawing & do not store even in a refrigerator.
Cooking Temperatures:
To guarantee correct cooking temperatures use a thermometer probe. Cook all the meat and poultry at proper internal temperatures:
 
Serving  -  Food Safely
  • Usually food-borne illness causing bacteria grows rapidly at room temperature. To avoid this from happening, never leave food out for over 2 hours (only 1 hour if room temperature is above 90°F/32°C).
  • When serving buffet food, keep hot food over a heat source and keep cold food on ice. Keep platters of food refrigerated until its time to serve or heat them.
  • Carry perishable picnic foods in a cooler with a cold pack or ice. Set the cooler in the shade and open the lid as little as possible.
Handling Leftovers Safely
  • Place foods into flat containers for rapid cooling. Put the food directly in a refrigerator or freezer.
  • Cut turkey off the bone and refrigerate. Sliced breast meat; legs and wings may be left whole.

Cold Storage Chart
 






Safe Shopping
  • Never choose packages that are torn or leaking.
  • Do not buy foods past their ‘Best before’ or expiry dates.
  • Place raw meat & poultry in plastic bags, so meat juices do not cross-contaminate other foods.
  • Shop all refrigerated or frozen items in your shopping trolley last.
  • Always keep perishable items in air-conditioned car and not in the trunk of your car.
  • Drive directly home with your groceries.
  • If you live farther than 30 minutes away, place perishable items in a cooler with ice.

Meats & Poultry – Buying, Handling and Cooking
  • Do not freeze fresh poultry unless really necessary. It makes no sense to buy fresh if you will freeze it, you better buy frozen.
  • If you do intend to bulk buy meats and need to freeze some, then do so as soon as you get home and keep fresh only that which you will use in the next few days.
  • When freezing do so in portion sizes, so that you can defrost what is needed when necessary.
  • Wash hands after handling meat and poultry.
  • Do not wash meat before cooking.
  • Guarantee that the internal temperatures are reached when cooking meats.
  • If in doubt, it is better to over cook chicken.
Safe Storage of Goods
  • Unload perishable items from the car first & immediately refrigerate them. Place securely wrapped packages of raw meat, poultry or fish in the meat drawer or coldest section of your fridge.
  • Check the temperature of your refrigerator with an appliance thermometer. It should be at 4°C; the freezer between -17°C and 20°C (-20°C for ice cream and long term storage).
  • Cook fresh poultry, fish, ground meats & organ meats within 2 days, and beef, veal, lamb or pork within 3–5 days.
  • Keep meat & poultry in its package until just before using.
  • Only freeze meat or poultry if necessary and do so immediately after buying. Wrap all meats to be frozen in plastic film or place into a zip lock bag.
  • Meat & poultry defrosted in the refrigerator may be refrozen before or after cooking. If thawed by other methods, cook before refreezing.
Safe Food preparation
  • Wash hands before & after handling raw meat & poultry.
  • Use plastic cutting boards (bacteria can grow in wooden ones). Clean cutting boards weekly in a solution of 1 tea-spoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water. Wash kitchen towels & cloths often in hot cycle in your washing machine.
  • Don’t cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, & their juices away from other food. After cutting raw meats, wash hands, cutting board, knife & counter tops with hot soapy water.