Keep your hands clean

Washing your hands with both water and soap and drying them prior to touching food is essential, as is washing them after handling uncooked foods – such as vegetables, meat and eggs. Also wash hands after putting items in the bin, visiting the toilet, touching your face or any animals.

Cleaning the worktops

Washing worktops prior to and after the preparation of food is vital, especially after they have been touched by raw meat, fish, vegetables and raw eggs. You do not need to use antibacterial spray: hot, soapy water is fine. Find out more about the BRC Audit for food safety at a site like MQM, a provider of BRC Audit services.

Dishcloths and tea towels

It is also imperative to regularly wash dishcloths and tea towels and allow them to dry thoroughly. Dirty, damp cloths are the ideal breeding ground for germs to spread.

Use a separate cutting board

Use separate cutting boards for preparing raw foods, such as meat and fish so as to prevent any contamination of food you will eat without cooking first, such as ready to eat food.

Separate raw meat

It’s essential to separate raw meat from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads and fruit, for example. These foods are not cooked before consumption so bacteria that gets into food from raw meat will not be killed.

Meat should be kept on the bottom shelf

Raw meat must always be kept covered and at the lowest point in the refrigerator, where it is unable to come into contact or onto other foods.

Cook food properly

All meats should be cooked completely to ensure they are piping hot throughout. Never run meat under the tap prior to cooking, as this can spread bacteria around your kitchen.