Prepare food safely
Protect food from contamination (mindmap refer to textbook p. 227)
Reheating Food
Rethermalisation: the reheating of food to the correct temperature for service, it should be done as quickly as possible. When food is reheated slowly, it remains in the danger zone for too long- this encourages excessive bacterial growth. For rapid reheating food should be reheated in small quantities. Food must be reheated to 60°C as soon as possible. Once there it should be taken to a temperature of at least 75°C, which will ensure that food is well out of the danger zone and that any bacteria present are destroyed. Casseroles, soups sauces and other wet dishes must be stirred occasionally while they are being reheated to keep the temperature constant throughout the product and to speed up the overall process.
Storing food after cooking and cooling
Once food is cooked and cooled, its shelf life is limited. How long the cooked food will last depends on:
All cooked food must be covered and stored correctly, usually in cold storage. It should be labelled with:
Storing food after cooking and cooling
Once food is cooked and cooled, its shelf life is limited. How long the cooked food will last depends on:
- Ingredients
- water content
- Additives
- Storage method
All cooked food must be covered and stored correctly, usually in cold storage. It should be labelled with:
- The name of the food
- Date cooked
- Ingredients
- Recommended used by date
Monitor temperature of food throughout the preparation process (refer to textbook p. 230)
Through the entire food preparation process, the temperature of foods needs to be carefully monitored. If hot food is allowed to cool so that it is in the danger zone, or cool food is allowed to warm to reach the danger zone, there is a significant risk to the safety of that food.
- Cooking food
- Defrosting food
- holding food
- 2-hr and 4-hr rule
- Appropriate temp levels for food handling
Ensure the safety of food preparation, served and sold under other conditions (refer to textbook p.232)
Different conditions from a commercial kitchen which food may be prepared under include:
- Displaying food for self self-service (buffets, salad bars, condiments, tea and coffee)
- Providing dispensing equipment
- Pre-packaging food Items
- Displaying and selling pre-packaged food (no notes in textbook)
In summary
Workplace/organisation policies and procedures ensure the safety of food served and sold to customers:
• supervise the display of food to prevent contamination by customers
• remove contaminated food immediately
• provide separate serving utensils for each dish
• provide protective barriers
• display food under temperature control
• use package materials suitable for use on the particular foodstuff
• ensure packaging is not damaged during packaging or display process
• ensure damaged packaging does not allow contamination
• supervise the display of food to prevent contamination by customers
• remove contaminated food immediately
• provide separate serving utensils for each dish
• provide protective barriers
• display food under temperature control
• use package materials suitable for use on the particular foodstuff
• ensure packaging is not damaged during packaging or display process
• ensure damaged packaging does not allow contamination