Food Sa fe t y
The 4 C’s Food Safety
1. Clean
2. Separate - Don’t Cross Contaminate
3. Cook
4. Chill
Why?
The 4 C’s prevent illness and death!
!
W h y?
The 4 C’s prevent illness and death!The CDC estimates that about one in six Americans
are made sick by foodborne illnesses every year — that's about 48 million people.
About 3,000 die.
Salmonella- Most common bacterial cause of diarrhea in the United States, and the
most common cause of foodborne deaths. Responsible for 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness a
year. Sources: raw and undercooked eggs, undercooked poultry and meat, fresh fruits and
vegetables, and unpasteurized dairy products.
E. coli O157:H7- A bacterium that can produce a deadly toxin and causes
approximately 73,000 cases of foodborne illness each year in the U.S. Sources: beef, especially
undercooked or raw hamburger; produce; raw milk; and unpasteurized juices and ciders. 2018 -
Romaine lettuce
Staphylococcus aureus- This bacterium produces a toxin that causes vomiting
shortly after being ingested. Sources: cooked foods high in protein (e.g. cooked ham, salads,
bakery products, dairy products) that are held too long at room temperature.
Ch a ll en g e !
The Clean
Demonstration
1. Warm Water 20 seconds
2. Cold Water 20 seconds
3. Warm water 10 seconds
4. Cold water - no soap 10 seconds
The “Clean Challenge!”
And the winner is….?
Clean!
Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards,
utensils, countertops and food. To Fight BAC!® always:
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and
after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
- Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot soapy water
after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
- Consider using clean paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth
towels wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with
skins and rinds that are not eaten.
- Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean
vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.
Cont a m i n at e
! D o n ’t C ros s
Se pa ra t e
Combat Cross-Contamination
Get it straight—it’s safe to separate!
Cross-contamination is how bacteria can be spread. Improper handling of raw meat,
poultry and seafood can create an inviting environment for cross-contamination. As a
result, harmful bacteria can spread to food and throughout the kitchen.
Watch Those Juices!
Cont a m i n at e
! D o n ’t C ros s
Se pa ra t e
Watch Those Juices!
Safely Separate
● Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in your grocery
shopping cart and shopping bags, and in your refrigerator.
Seal It
To prevent juices from raw meat, poultry or seafood from dripping onto other foods
in the refrigerator, place these raw foods in sealed containers or plastic bags on the
bottom shelf of the fridge.
Marinating Mandate
Sauce that is used to marinate raw meat, poultry or seafood should not be used on
cooked food unless it is boiled first.
Cont a m i n at e
! D o n ’t C ros s
Se pa ra t e
Keep It Clean!
Lather Up
Always wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and
after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling
pets. Always start with a clean scene—wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops,
and utensils with hot water and soap.
Take Two - Use different cutting boards.
*Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry
and seafood.
Clean Your Plate
*Never place cooked food back on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry,
seafood, or eggs.
Cook!
Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
Use a food thermometer to to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. Refer to the Heat It Up chart for the safe internal
temperatures. The best way to Fight BAC! ® is to:
● Use a food thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to
make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
● Cook roasts and steaks to a minimum of 145°F. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F as
measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the
thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.
● Cook ground meat, where bacteria can spread during grinding, to at least 160°F. Information from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) links eating undercooked ground beef with a higher risk of illness. Remember, color is not a
reliable indicator of doneness Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers.
● Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Don't use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked.
● Cook fish to 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
● Make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive) when cooking in a microwave oven. For best results,
cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.
● Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.
Cook!
● 165 Degrees for Chicken, Turkey, and all poultry
Cook!
● 160 Degrees for Hamburger
● 145 Degrees for Steak
Cook!
● Boil liquids
● 212 Degrees
Chill!
Danger Zone! 40 degrees - 140 degrees
Chill!
2 Hour Rule - do not leave food in the danger zone more than 2
hours.
Refrigerate foods quickly to 40°F or below - because cold
temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Do not over-stuff the
refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to help keep food safe.
Keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40°F or below is one of
the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Use an
appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40°F
or below.
The freezer temperature should be 0°F or below.
Chill!
● Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs and other perishables as soon as you get them home
from the store.
● Never let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit at
room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer
(one hour when the temperature is above 90°F).
● Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during
thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and
in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked
immediately.
● Always marinate food in the refrigerator.
● Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
● Use or discard refrigerated food on a regular basis. Check the Cold Storage Chart for optimum
storage times.
Chill!
● There are three safe ways to defrost food:
○ in the refrigerator, (takes about 24 hours)
○ in cold water, and (takes about 30 minutes)
○ in the microwave. (takes about 5-7 minutes)
Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave
should be cooked immediately.
