Keeping food safe is the key to preventing foodborne illnesses. The four basic rules for keeping food safe are: clean, separate, cook, chill.
Wash hands and surfaces often. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Wash cutting boards, utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go to the next food.
Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and their juices apart from other food items in your grocery cart.
Cook food to a safe temperature. Use a food thermometer: you can’t tell if food is cooked safely by how it looks.
Refrigerate promptly. Chill leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours. Keep the fridge at 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) or below.
Food safety resources
- Food storage & cooking danger zone thermometer | PDF image
- Food-cooling procedure thermometer | PDF image
- Food Safety – Government of Canada site with safety tips for all food types and information to protect those who are vulnerable to food poisoning, including facts on food allergies and recalls
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FoodSafe – FoodSafe training course information and food handling resources for professionals
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HealthLink BC – Reference documents on food safety and food poisoning