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There is a
simple evidence to suggest that in the world the greater
proportion of reported food poisoning outbreaks arrives mostly
in the domestic environment. The majority of these outbreaks
result from in adequate temperature control (either in
adequate cooking, or storage of food under unsuitable
conditions) (Roberts 1990). In a significant proportion of
incidents of cross contamination via surfaces (either food
preparation surfaces or the hands) is a contributory, or even
the causative, factors (Roberts 1986, 1990)
FOOD
PREPARATION
certain raw foods or Ingredients have
a high risk of contamination such as meats, fish, poultry and
eggs. When brought into the home these can act as vehicles for
spreading contamination throughout kitchen surfaces. Other
foods may have a medium risk of contamination, such as certain
vegetables, which may have been contaminated during
production, or which are soiled.
A chopping board should be used far
preparation of high risk raw foods likely to be contaminated.
After preparation of high risk raw foods all surfaces which
have come into contact with the food should be immediately be
decontaminated either with the detergent wash and rinse, or
using a hygienic cleaner, or by wiping to remove soiled
followed by application of a chemical disinfectant. It is
recommended that separate chopping board should be used for
raw meat and fish, for fresh fruit and vegetables and four
other items.
And must be watched immediately after
handling raw food. It is important to be aware that, during
and after handling high risk raw food, any cell face
subsequently touched with the hands (even tap handles,
refrigerator doors and cooker control nobs) will be
contaminated with by microorganisms from the food.
Dish cloths and and hand cloths used
during the preparation of raw food must be decontaminated and
dried. Lots and be de contaminated by hot machine washing,
boiling or by use of a chemical disinfectant. Soap and water
washing is relatively ineffective for the contamination of
cloths. The use of disposable cloths/paper towels is
recommended.
After decontamination, plots should
be dried as rapidly as possible. If plots are left in it and
condition residual and donation not destroyed by the
decontamination process can rapidly multiply at ambient
temperatures.
COOKING
Two cooked meat safely so that
commonly implicated foodborne pathogens such as E. coli 0157,
Salmonella , Campylobacter andListeria are killed, the centre
of the meat must reach and maintain a temperature of 70 degree
centigrade for a minimum of two minutes or an equivalent core
cooking temperature and time, or until the juices run clear.
Note cooking will not kill all of the bacteria present in
food, but must be sufficient to reduce the numbers to a safe
level.
Food cooked from frozen or reheated
chilled food must also be cooked for sufficient period of time
such that all of the food maintains a satisfactory temperature
for sufficient period of time as described above for raw food.
Cooking equipment should be properly
maintained to achieve consistently the required cooking
temperatures and times.
It is advisable that the cooking
process should be routinely monitored examples by using a meat
thermometer.
Users of microwave ovens should refer
to the manufacturer's instructions on the appropriate time and
Power settings for cooking or defrosting food. As with
conventional ovens, microwave have hot and cold spots so food
must speak turned or stirred to prevent uneven heating.
The internal surfaces of microwaves
should be regularly cleaned and decontaminated.
The equivalent cooking core
temperatures and time:
temperature time
60 degree centigrade 45 minutes
65 degree centigrade 10 minutes
70 degree centigrade two minutes
STORAGE OF
FOODS
Cooked food should be cooked as
quickly as possible in order to prevent the growth of
pathogenic microorganisms, and then stored in a refrigerator
or freezer.
Refrigerator is and freezers should
be checked regularly to ensure that they maintain the required
temperature. The temperature of a domestic refrigerator should
be between seven degree centigrade and four degree centigrade
and that offer freezer -18 degree centigrade(Eley 1996).
Refrigerator only reduces the rate of
growth of microorganisms. It does not prevent it. Food should
only be stored in the refrigerator for a limited period and
cell by dates on product packaging strictly adhered to.
Drawer food must always be stored
separately from cooked food in the refrigerator. It is
important to ensure that the juices from raw, potentially
contaminated foods, such as raw meat, do not drip onto foods
stored below which will not be cooked.
Cooked foods or raw foods that are
not cooked or reheated before eating should be covered when
stored in the refrigerator.
Avoid mould growth on food residues
and food storage areas.
Refrigerator surfaces should be
regularly decontaminated by cleaning and chemical disinfection.
Freezing of foods prevents bacterial
growth for an indefinite period. Food, with a safe for
consumption, can be maintained in that state by rapid
freezing.
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