Revised
Editor’s note
You can read this publication on this page, download the PDF, or order printed copies.
See the companion publication N1004, Food Safety Handout.
This poster provides tips for the safe handling of food to prevent illness. It includes steps for proper food handling from cleaning to separating to cooking to chilling foods.
The printed poster is 36-by-24 inches, printed on high-gloss poster stock, and rolled and shipped in a tube.
See poster content below.
Don’t Let Food Make You Sick!
When in doubt, throw it out!
Throw perishable food out if ...
- It is left at room temperature for more than two hours.
- It is left in temperatures above 90 degrees F for more than one hour.
The “Danger Zone”
Bacteria thrive and multiply at temperatures between 40- and 140-degrees F.
- Keep hot foods at or above 140 degrees F.
- Keep cold foods at 40 degrees F or below.
Proper food handling
Steps the help ensure food is safe to eat:
Clean
- Wash hands and surfaces often.
- Rinse raw produce in water.
Separate
- Keep eggs, raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from other foods.
- Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, fruits and vegetables.
Cook
- Cook to proper temperatures to kill bacteria.
- Use a food thermometer. It’s the only way to know if a food has been cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Chill
- Refrigerate foods promptly.
- Defrost in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.