Cooking

Thorough cooking is imperative because it kills harmful bacteria. If food is not cooked properly then bacteria will survive and if consumed can result in sickness. Thorough cooking of food kills all food poisoning bacteria including listeria, salmonella and E.coli.

What you should do

• Do not serve food that is under cooked, ever.
• Serve cooked food immediately or keep it hot until serving.
• Cool and quickly chill any food that you are cooking in advance.

What to check for

• To ensure that food is thoroughly cooked, always inspect it. E.g. check that it is piping hot all the way through, you can insert a skewer in the thickest part, and if the meat juices run clear then the food is cooked.
• Regularly check that the food is kept hot enough until serving.