Food hygiene

Keeping a clean, hygienic kitchen is, by and large, a matter of common sense. Avoid high risk foods and follow these simple tips to reduce the risk of any illness and infection that could harm you or your baby.

• Always wash your hands before handling food and again between handling raw and cooked foods. Cover any cuts with a waterproof plaster.
• Keep raw and cooked foods separate. Never use the same equipment (knives, chopping board etc) for preparing raw and cooked foods, unless it has been thoroughly washed in between.
• Store cooked and raw foods on separate shelves in the fridge - cooked food above, raw food below.
• Make sure that food, especially chicken, is properly cooked.
• Reheat leftovers thoroughly. Always reheat until ‘piping’ hot. Never reheat food more than once.
• Avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs or dishes made using them.
• Change or wash your dish cloths regularly - a dirty dishcloth can contain up to 100 billion bacteria after just one week’s use.
• Always check use by dates.

For more tips on keeping your food safe visit:

www.food.gov.uk