Food hygiene · Level 2

Cooking for others

For food banks, community kitchens and volunteers.

Clean HandsFood safety in your language
1

You

Clean hands,
clean clothes

  • Wash hands before you start, after breaks and after raw food.
  • Tie hair back. Remove rings. Cover cuts with a blue plaster.
  • Sickness or diarrhoea? Stay away for 48 hours after it stops.

Why? You can pass germs to everyone you feed.

2

Temperature

Hot 75°C
Keep hot 63°C

  • Check the middle of food with a probe thermometer.
  • Hot food 63°C or hotter. Cold food 5°C or colder.
  • Clean the probe after every use.

Why? Germs grow fastest between 8°C and 63°C.

3

Cleaning

Clean, then
disinfect

  • Wash off dirt and grease with hot soapy water.
  • Then disinfect. Leave it on as long as the label says.
  • Clean as you go.

Why? Disinfectant can’t work through dirt.

4

Allergens

14 allergens
never guess

  • Know what is in every dish.
  • Keep allergen-free food apart, with clean utensils.
  • Not sure? Say so. Never guess.

Why? A tiny amount can cause a serious reaction.

Use by

Never give out after this date.Keep chilled donations cold.

Best before

Can be given out after this date.If the packaging is not damaged.