Food safety is a significant threat every person who spends time in the kitchen must prepare for. There are safe handling procedures you must follow for most foods to avoid contamination. This is critical for foods that demand more rigorous precautions, including the meat we eat each day. Knowing the proper food handling procedures helps keep your family safe. These are the most important rules to follow when cooking meat.
Clean and Sanitary Kitchen
Keeping your kitchen cleaned and sanitized cuts down on the possibility of cross-contamination and is critical in the fight against foodborne pathogens. Be sure to properly wash all kitchen utensils and tools between each use, including knives and cutting boards. Scalding water and antibacterial soap are usually all that is necessary to clear away unwanted germs.
Meat Juices
One of the biggest dangers from uncooked meat is from the juices. They carry thousands of disease-causing bacteria, all of which make humans extremely ill. One way to combat the spread of germs through fluids is to keep your meat stored away from other products to prevent drips. You should also change and wash cutting boards and knives between each use to avoid the previously-mentioned cross-contamination.
Safe Temperatures
Perhaps the most significant threat from contaminated products, undercooked food is a health hazard that can lead to food poisoning or worse. At the top of the list of the most important rules to follow when cooking meat is to prepare the food to have the proper internal temperature. Though the suggested temperature does vary by variety, there are some basic temperature guidelines to follow.
- Beef – cook beef to 145°F
- Pork – cook pork to 145°F
- Poultry – cook chicken, turkey, and other poultry to 165°F
- Ground Meat – cook ground meat to 160°F
For more information on safe food handling around the kitchen in your home, head into Vincent’s Meat Market. We have the knowledge and experience to keep you and your family safe from foodborne illnesses. For the best place to buy bacon, beef, pork, poultry, and other meats in The Bronx, stop by our store today.
