|
|
Safety First
Know
about bacteria – and how properly handle foods.
Bacteria is present on products when you purchase them.
Plastic-wrapped boneless chicken and ground meat, for example, were once part
of live chickens or cattle. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs are not
sterile. Neither is fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and
melons.
Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in their own sealed containers inside
ice chests or the refrigerator, to prevent their juices from dripping on
other foods. Raw juices may contain harmful bacteria.
Foods, including safely cooked, ready-to-eat foods, can become
cross-contaminated with bacteria transferred from raw products, meat juices
or other contaminated products, or from food handlers with poor personal
hygiene.
Keep
it clean.
Wash
hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using
the bathroom.
Keep tools (knives,
openers) as well as work surfaces and hands clean, and free of cross
contamination.
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water
after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. A solution
of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water may be used to sanitize washed
surfaces and utensils.
Sounds simple – but properly wash your dishes after each meal. Don’t just pile them back into the cook kit
dirty.
Use the
right tools for the job.
Make
sure you are using the right tools for the task at hand.
Make sure your tools are in good working order – no rusting parts, no worn
out areas.
Get all of your cooking tools laid out and ready to go before you begin to
cook.
First
aid kit nearby?
Get your
patrol’s or troop’s first aid kit in close proximity to where cooking will
take place. Make sure your patrol is
first aid trained.
|
