Module 4: Food handling ‣ Skills Enhanced

Back to: Food Handler Basics Training

NSW Food Authority | Food Handler Basics

This topic outlines the rules to be followed while actually handling food, such as:

How gloves should be used when handling food
The rules for defrosting frozen food
The correct cooking temperatures
The rules for cooling food
How to reheat food safely

Correct Food Handling

Maintaining good personal hygiene.

Using gloves properly.

Safely defrosting, cooking, cooling and reheating food.

Monitoring food temperature.

Bacteria stop growing when food is frozen but freezing does not kill the bacteria.

Defrosting food correctly ensures the bacteria do not continue to grow and cause food poisoning.

Rules for defrosting frozen food

Defrost food thoroughly before cooking or reheating it
Frozen food should be defrosted either in a microwave, or in the fridge
If using the fridge, defrost food on the bottom shelf, away from other foods just in case it drips as it is defrosting
You can keep fully defrosted food in the fridge for a short time until it is ready to be cooked or reheated
Cook or reheat the food immediately if it is defrosted in a microwave
Do not re-freeze defrosted food
Do not defrost food on the bench; the external surface could be at room temperature with bacteria or other microorganisms growing quickly, while the centre is still frozen
Allow plenty of time to defrost food thoroughly
Large cuts of meat or large chickens may take longer to defrost all the way through to the centre.

Cooking food safely

There is a good chance that food will be contaminated while it’s being cooked if correct food handling principles are not followed.

You must always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using cooking equipment.

Cooking food to temperatures above 75 °C kills most bacteria.

Use a washed and sanitised thermometer to check that the thickest part, or the centre of the cooked food, has reached 75 °C.

Always serve or keep cooked food at 60 °C or hotter.

Cooling food safely

Food that has just been cooked or taken out of the oven to cool should be cooled as quickly as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Hot food cannot be put directly into the fridge after cooking. You need to know the right time to put away food once it has been cooked.

To make sure that food is cooled quickly you should:

Stir cooked foods frequently to help the food cool
Take food out of the larger container you cooked it in and carefully put it into smaller containers so it will cool quicker
Monitor the temperature using a clean and sanitised thermometer
Allow cool air to circulate around the containers of food to be cooled. Food must be cooled to 21 °C within two hours.
When food stops giving off steam it can be placed in cold storage
Cover and mark containers with the food type, the time and the date, before putting in the cool room, fridge or freezer

To reheat food safely you need to:

Reheat and display food only once and throw it out if not eaten or sold – this will avoid the food being at temperatures that support the growth of harmful bacteria

Reheat food in the oven or microwave until it reaches 75 °C or hotter in the centre

Pie warmers and bain-maries

Pie warmers and bain-maries are used to hold hot food for display.

It is important to:

Preheat the pie warmer or bain-marie before use
Ensure the temperature of the hot-holding equipment is set at 60 °C or hotter to maintain temperature control
Heat or reheat the food quickly to a temperature of at least 60 °C before being transferred to the hot-holding equipment
Dispose of any reheated food left over at the end of the day.

The most important way to prevent bacteria from growing in food is to maintain it at the right temperature. The temperature of food is most accurately taken using a probe thermometer.

The thermometer must be cleaned and sanitised before and after every use.

How to clean and use a probe thermometer to check food temperature

Read the temperature (and record if applicable).

Wipe away any food waste or other visible contamination

Wash the probe with warm water and detergent

Sanitise using an appropriate sanitiser (for example, an alcohol wipe) or hot water (for example, 77 °C or hotter for at least 30 seconds)

Dry thoroughly by leaving to air dry or by using a single use towel

Insert the probe into the centre or thickest part of the food