Cooking Essentials - Keys to Success

IT IS IMPORTANT to handle & store perishable foods with care, so they can be enjoyed at their
best, & to help prevent food poisoning. Buy from a reputable retailer, first checking the expiration
date. Take fresh food home & put it in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. Keep work
surfaces, utensils, and hands clean. Separate cutting boards should be kept for raw & cooked foods,
but if this is not possible, wash boards thoroughly between each use. These guidelines are a matter
of common sense & apply to all fresh food, but some foods need special care - these are dealt with
below:

CHEESE
• Cheese made from unpasteurized
milk, especially soft cheeses, soft
mature cheeses (pasteurized &
unpasteurized), & blue-veined
cheeses, should not be eaten by
pregnant women, babies, young
children, the sick, & the elderly.
These people are at greater risk from
the listeria bacteria, which may be
present in these cheeses.

EGGS
• Always buy fresh eggs from a
reputable store, first checking that the
shells are clean & uncracked. Look
for eggs that have the expiration date
stamped on the carton so that you
know they are fresh & how long it is
safe to store them.
• Store eggs, pointed ends down,
in the refrigerator, away from
strong-smelling foods.
• Always wash hands thoroughly
before & after handling raw eggs.
If an egg is contaminated with the
salmonella bacteria, the risk of
contracting salmonella poisoning is
higher if the egg is raw, has a runny
yolk, or is softly set, so avoid serving
these to pregnant women, babies &
young children, & the sick or elderly.
For the salmonella bacteria to be
destroyed, the egg must be cooked to
160°F (71°C), the temperature at
which an egg yolk sets.

MEAT
• Always buy fresh meat from a
reputable source & refrigerate it as
soon as possible after purchase, first
removing any plastic wrappings, drip
trays, etc. Put fresh meat on a plate
or in a bowl, cover it, & place it at
the bottom of the refrigerator.
• Store raw & cooked meats
separately & never handle them
together. Wash surfaces, utensils, &
hands before, between, and after
dealing with raw & cooked meats.
• Frozen meat should be defrosted
thoroughly before cooking. Throw
the thawed liquid away & do not
refreeze raw meat.
• Reheat previously cooked meat
dishes only once. Make sure they are
thoroughly reheated until boiling or
piping hot (above 170°F/ 75°C).

MUSSELS & CLAMS
• Buy live mussels & clams from a
reputable source, & cook them on
the day of purchase.
• Before cooking, discard any with
broken shells or open shells that do
not close when sharply tapped.
These are not safe to eat. After
cooking, discard any that are not
open. These may not be safe either.

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@Cooking Essentials