Preparing, Cooking & Serving Food

Food Preparation & Nutrition: AQA GCSE, topic 4.2.3

Preparing, Cooking and Serving Food

You should follow simple procedures to avoid food contamination and to reduce other risks.

Good personal hygiene - wash hands, cover hair with hair nets or hats, put plasters or bandages on cuts to cover them, wear clean cooking clothing (e.g. aprons), and take off all jewellery.
Wash uncooked fruits and vegetables well. Make sure no earth remains on the vegetables.
Make sure frozen food completely defrosts.
Separate food - separate groups on different chopping boards and prepare cooked and uncooked foods on different surfaces.
Make sure equipment is clean.
Sanitise surfaces with antibacterial spray.

Cook food thoroughly and all the way through.
Cook food for the right amount of time at the correct temperature.
Use a sterilised temperature probe to test food temperature. Make sure you insert the probe into the thickest part. Cooked food should be 75°C or above.

Ideally, hot food should be served immediately.
If you're leaving hot food to stand, don't let it drop below 63°C and don't let it stand for more than 2 hours.
Cover food to stop contamination from flies or pests.
Minimise food waste.
Do not overfill waste bins.