Keep Meat Safe !

Meat is a perishable food. When buying and handling meat, make sure that you keep the meat in a clean and cold condition until you are ready to cook it. Bacteria multiply quickly if meat is placed in temperatures above 4 degress celsius. Refrigeration alone cannot guarantee the long shelf life of meat. Hygiene and packaging are very important as well.

The folowing tips will help you ensure that the meat you buy retains its qualiyt and safetly for consumption.

Buying meat
* Buy meat that looks fresh and has no sourish, stale or off odours.
* Only buy meat that has been stored under proper rerfigerated conditions.
* Meat packages should not be damaged.
* Buy in quantities that will meet your family's needs.
* Head home immediately after buying meat so that it will not be left unrefrigerated for too long.
* Choose meat that has no excessive moisture on the surface of the meat. Excessive moisture indicates that the meat has not been handled or stored properly.

Handling meat
* Separate raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat food to prevent cross-contamination.
* When handling meat, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and cooked food.
* For frozen meat, thaw only the amount you need.
* Thaw frozen meat safely in the refrigerator or the microwave oven.
* Chilled and thawed meat should be placed in the refrigerator if not cooked immediately.
* Do not re-freeze meat that has been completely thawed.
* Do not leave chilled or thawed meat at room temperature for more than 2 hours as bacteria will multiply rapidly.
* After cutting raw meat, wash the cutting boards and utensils thoroughly with dish-washing detergent and hot water.

Storing meat
* Follow the recommeded safe handling and storage information on the packages, if any.
* Ensure that there is sufficient space between items placed in the refrigerator or freezer so that cold air can circulate freely around them.
* Prepared meat such as minced meat or meat cubes have a shorter storage time.
* Do not open the refrigerator or freezer doors more often than necessary to avoid temperature fluctuation.
* If you need to freeze the meat, divide into portions based on your normal serving size.
* To avoid excessive evaporation, wrap the meat tightly in clean plastic bags before storage.
* When storing or thawing meat in the refrigerator, place the meat in containers or trays to prevent the juices from contaminating other food.
* Do not overstock your meat supply. Follow the rule of first in / first out, i.e. use older stock first.


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