30th June 2008

Are you up to speed on the 4 Cs?

In an effort to reduce the incidence of food poisoning cases this summer the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has been highlighting the importance of the 4 Cs for food safety: cleaning, cooking, chilling and avoiding cross-contamination.

• Cleanliness - wash hands well and always before touching food; wash and wipe utensils and surfaces as you go; cover all waste and rubbish bins; use the right materials for cleaning
• Cooking - always look at instructions on cooking times and temperatures; know which meats must be cooked right through; eat your food as soon as it’s ready; make sure you eat food before its use-by date
• Chilling - keep chilled foods refrigerated at all times; remember that fridges should be at 5°C; defrost foods thoroughly before cooking them; don’t put hot foods in the fridge
• Cross-Contamination - keep raw and cooked foods apart; use different dishes and equipment for handling raw and cooked foods; keep pets away from your food; take jewellery off before preparing food.

FDF’s foodlink website at www.foodlink.org.uk has a number of resources including downloadable factfiles on the 4 Cs, food poisoning, hygiene, food storage and preparation, as well as puzzles, quizzes and an image bank.