Stay SAFE!!
kitchen and Food safety
BY SAMAR ELAHI
PREVENTING KITCHEN ACCIDENTS
How Important is Kitchen Safety??? There are 6 Possible kitchen Accidents: (1) Slips and Falls (2) Fires (3) Burns (4) Poison (5) Shocks (6) Cuts. To prevent SLIPS and FALLs we should follow the following steps:- Mop up spills as soon as possible. Walk, not run in the kitchen. Keep all cabinet doors closed. *To prevent FIRES in the kitchen we should:- Tie our hair back. Not wear baggy clothes. Not plug all appliances into same outlet. Turn-off stove when we are done working. Do not leave cooking unattended. Make sure that the stove and cooking elements are clean before cooking. Keep flammables away from stove. *To prevent BURNS we should:- Not touch the burner. Assume every thing is hot and handle it with care. Use oven mitts. Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil. Turn pot handles inwards. Open pot lids away from yourself to prevent steam burns. *To prevent getting POISONED we should:- Keep chemicals away from food. Not mix two chemicals. Keep the chemical in it's right container. Use the chemical for it's intended purpose. * To prevent SHOCKS we should:- Not put our hand in outlets. Pull the plug not the chord of appliances. Not put metals or silver utensils in the toaster. Make sure that your hands are dry before touching electrical equipment. *To prevent CUTS we should:- Keep knives seperate from other utensils. Do not wash knives in soapy water with other utensils. Don't run around with a knife in your hand. Keep knives sharp so that they will less likely slip when cutting items. ALWAYS-use a chopping board. Use knives for their intended purposes (Don't use them as screw drivers). Pass a knife by extending its handle first.
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY??
(1) FIRE: There are two types of FIRES , PAN and OVEN. If there is a PAN fire, you might not want to put water on it because it might just spread the fire. Instead, smuther it with baking soda to cut out the oxygen supply and then turn off the energy supply!! If there is an OVEN fire, Firstly, close the oven door to cut the oxygen supply, then turn off the heat supply and wait for the fire to burn out. (2) BURN: if you get burned, then firstly, run cold water over it for 10-20 minutes, then apply mild soap and water to clean the debris. Keep a moist and clean cloth over the burn. If you get blisters, don't drain them. (3) CUTS: if you get a cut, run water on it, then clean it with soap and water. To stop the bleeding, apply pressure on it or if the cut is on your hand or arm, then raise it up high. When the bleeding stops, put a bandage on. (4) POISON: If you get poisoned, call (416) 813-5900 or 1800-268-9017!!!!
All about FOODBORNE ILLNESS
Conditions that promote growth and common Foodborne illnesses
FAT-TOM causes bacteria to grow and therefore, leads to growth and common foodborne illnesses: Food= bacteria needs food to grow (specially moist and proteined)...Acidity= Most bacteria cannot grow below the acidic level pH 4.8. They like to grow between pH level 6.6 and 7.5...Time= bacteria needs time to grow and the longer time it has, the more it multiplies (through cell division). Temperature= bacteria grows best in warm conditions especially room temperature (40- 140 degrees fahrenheit)...Oxygen= Bacteria needs oxygen to grow (aerobic). Leaving food open to air increases the chances of bacteria growth. Moisture= bacteria loves moisture and grows fast in these conditions...Food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours may also cause foodbourne illnesses.People most likely to get food borne illnesses are infants, young children, elderly and people with a low immune system.
Preventing Foodborne illness
To prevent foodborne illness, follow the following 4 steps= (1) CLEAN: make sure your hands are washed and clean. Clean all elements needed for cooking including utensils and vegetables. And also make sure that the kitchen counter is clean. (2) SEPERATE: keep chopping boards, grocery bags and plates for meat and vegetables seperate. Use a clean plate every time and store meat in a container to stop it's juices from leaking. (3) COOK: Make sure that meat is not left raw and is thoroughly cooked and no cold spots are left. Cook food at high temperature to kill the bacteria. (4) CHILL: keep a constant check on your refrigerator's temprature and make sure it's below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. And do not stuff your refrigerator and make sure air can circulate. Refrigerate within 2 hours of purchase and do not defrost on the kitchen counter, instead use a microwave.