Food Safety

by Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing, Port Townsend Washington.

What follows is mostly from  How To Prevent Food Poisoning: A practical guide to safe cooking, eating, and food handling, by Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D. and Paul Sockett, Ph.D., John Wiley & Sons, 1998. Thanks to Kay Argyle in cohousing in Utah.

We all have our ways of food preparation at home, and they work for our household. But as we prepare food for the whole community, we need to use different standards. 

If a second person in a household gets the flu, it’s not such a big deal. If ten additional people get the flu, it’s bad. If we are tough and get a touch of food poisoning, it’s just uncomfortable. For children, seniors, and people with all shades of sensitivities in their immune systems, food-borne illness could be very serious, even life threatening. We simply MUST get in very-conscious health habits in the CH kitchen, and any time we are preparing food for the community. 

WASH HANDS

Soap, hot water, running tap, rub 15 seconds including between fingers and around wrists. Rinse well, dry on paper towel or clean hand towel (not your pants!).

Wash before starting, and after touching a person, pet, garbage, the floor, raw animal products, your nose/mouth/bathrooming, first aid. Wash hands OFTEN.

INJURIES, ILLNESS 

Wounds on hands should be covered with a clean waterproof bandage or wear vinyl gloves (we have a box in the kitchen). Don’t prep if you’re sick.

TASTING

Never ever put something back in the food after tasting from it. Use a clean spoon and put it in the sink. Don’t use your hands to taste stuff. Wash hands if you forget.

BIG ALERT ITEMS

All raw foods of animal origin - meat, poultry, eggs, and fish - may be contaminated with food poisoning germs, and need extra precautions. Egg batters and mayonnaise, too.

HOT AND COLD

The danger zone is between 68 F and 144F. Don’t leave stuff out, refrigerate it. Defrost in the fridge (in bowl). If you need to cool a quantity of something, divide it into smaller containers, or it won’t cool fast enough and may even warm up other stuff in the fridge. 

MEAT FISH POULTRY EGGS

Read more detailed precautions. Raw, these can be very dangerous and everything they touch  needs to be sanitized. Avoid possible cross contamination of other foods, in the fridge, on the counter, on cutting surfaces or dishes. Use the pink plastic (flexible) cutting board. Separate preparing this raw stuff from other foods, cleaning and sanitizing in between with hot soapy water or bleach solution.

SERVING

Avoid using hands in arranging things if you can use a utensil.  Note if certain foods should be kept hot or cold till the last minute. 

LEFTOVERS

Refrigerate leftovers promptly if they are for community use. Only reheat once.

CLEAN UP

Use dishwasher or hot soapy water. Air dry or use a fresh clean towel. 

Sanitize countertops and frequently-handled areas (fridge handle, faucets, etc.) .

Keep sponges and cloths for cleaning dishes and counters separate from any you use on the floor, furniture, etc. Put used items in the laundry if no longer suitable for kitchen use.  Sanitize sponges in bleach solution or microwave damp sponge for one minute.

Clean and sanitize cutting boards and prep island.

OUR CONSCIENTIOUSNESS IS A GIFT TO EACH OTHER OF SAFETY AND HEALTH!