Food safety, practical
6 short explainers. Read them in order, or jump to the question you have right now.
- 211The danger zoneBetween 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F), bacteria multiply fast. Some can double in about 20 minutes. Cold food belongs below that range and hot food above it.…
- 212Keep raw and cooked food apartRaw meat, poultry, fish and eggs can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Cooking kills them. But a board, knife or hand that touched raw…
- 213Leftovers: cool fastA big, hot pot stays warm in the middle for hours, right in the danger zone. Split leftovers into containers about 5 cm (2 inches) deep or less so they…
- 214Cutting board carePlastic can go in the dishwasher. Wood needs hand washing and thorough drying. Both pick up knife grooves, and deep grooves hold food bits, so retire a…
- 215The rice reheat riskDry rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores, tough dormant cells that survive boiling. Let cooked rice cool slowly and sit warm, and the spores wake up and…
- 216The thermometer habitColor, firmness and clear juices vary with the cut, the pan and even the lighting. Temperature doesn't. A thermometer reads the number that matters, like…
