Food preparation is where many hazards are controlled — or created. Thawing, cooking, cooling, reheating and serving all need to be carried out correctly to keep food safe.

This module explains safe preparation practices and how to take and check food temperatures accurately.

We will cover the key stages of preparing and serving food safely:

• Thawing food: What you need to do to thaw frozen food, including poultry, correctly and safely.
• Cooking, reheating & cooling: How to cook, reheat and cool food safely and check core temperatures.
• Hot & cold holding: Safe practices for holding food hot or cold before and during service.
• Food service: Managing hazards while food is on display and being served to customers.

Where possible, thaw frozen food in a fridge before using it, so it stays at a safe temperature while it defrosts.

Rules to follow when thawing frozen food safely:

• Thaw raw meat and poultry in a separate area from other food.
• If you cannot use a fridge, place vacuum-packed food or food in a container under cold, running water for even thawing.
• Check for uneven heating when thawing in a microwave — some parts may still be frozen.
• Refrigerate or cook food immediately after thawing.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect the area used for thawing.

Special care must be taken to defrost or cook frozen poultry safely. You must:

• Never wash poultry or run it under water to defrost it.
• Ensure it is thoroughly defrosted before cooking.
• Cook it within 24 hours of being thawed — it is only safe to cook when the body and legs are pliable and completely free from ice crystals.
• Check its core temperature: poultry is cooked thoroughly when the thickest part reaches at least 75°C.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Although the surface colour and texture of food may suggest it is cooked, this is not a reliable indicator. Always check the core temperature.

The FSAI recommends that food is cooked to a core temperature of 75°C, or an equivalent time/temperature combination such as 70°C for two minutes.

Reheat food to a core temperature of at least 70°C at the centre of the food, so it is piping hot throughout.

Food must only be reheated once following cooking or hot holding — the more times you cool and reheat food, the more opportunities there are for bacteria to grow. Discard any reheated food that is not used.

To ensure safe cooking and reheating you should:

• Keep pans covered wherever possible to avoid the risk of physical contamination.
• Eat or chill food as soon as possible after it has been cooked.
• Never cook or reheat acidic food in copper or aluminium pans, as this can cause chemical contamination.
• Never use the same spoon to repeatedly taste food.
• Never reheat food more than once.

Use a clean, disinfected probe thermometer to check the core (centre) of the food — the slowest part to heat or cool.

Clean and disinfect the probe before and after each use to avoid cross-contamination, and calibrate it regularly so you can trust the reading.

Check your probe against two known temperatures. If the readings are off, adjust or replace the probe.

• Ice water: 0°C: Place the probe in a container of melting ice and water. An accurate probe should read 0°C.
• Boiling water: 100°C: Place the probe in freshly boiled water. An accurate probe should read 100°C (at sea level).
• Record & act: Record the check. If the probe is inaccurate, recalibrate, adjust or replace it before use.

A probe touches the centre of raw and cooked food, so it can easily spread bacteria if it is not kept clean.

Clean and disinfect the probe with a sanitising wipe or spray before use, between different foods, and after use. Allow the correct contact time for the sanitiser to work before wiping it dry.

Cooling food correctly helps control microbial contamination by preventing harmful bacteria from growing. Different foods need different methods:

• Rice, vegetables and boiled potatoes can be cooled under cold, drinkable water.
• Bagged joints of meat can be sprayed with cold water.
• Stews and sauces can be decanted into shallow containers to cool more quickly.

Never place hot food straight in a refrigerator to cool. Ideally, food should be cooled within 90 minutes, then stored at or below 5°C. Keep cooling food covered and away from raw food.

Food kept hot before serving, such as on a buffet counter or bain-marie, must be held at 63°C or above. Record the temperature when you first put food into hot holding and check it again after two hours.

If the temperature is below 63°C, the food must be disposed of. When replenishing hot counters, do not mix fresh food with food already on display.

Food that needs to be kept cold before or during service, such as on a salad bar, should be held at or below 5°C. The FSAI recommends chilled food is kept between 1°C and 5°C.

Following your HACCP-based food safety management system, routinely check the temperature of the unit and act on any food left outside safe temperature control.

When food is placed on display, such as for self-service, hazards can occur if the correct procedures are not followed. When replenishing food on display you must:

• Use fresh, clean containers to avoid cross-contamination.
• Check the dates of any pre-packaged food on display.
• Adhere to proper stock rotation methods.

If you don't have refrigerated display units, display the minimum amount of food. Always cover, wrap or protect food on display using covers or sneeze screens to minimise contamination.

The core temperatures you need to remember for food preparation and service:

• Cook / reheat: Cook to a core of 75°C (or 70°C for 2 min); reheat to at least 70°C, only once.
• Hot holding: Hold hot food at 63°C or above and check it regularly.
• Cold holding: Keep chilled food at or below 5°C — ideally 1–5°C.
• Danger zone: 5°C to 63°C is where bacteria multiply fastest — keep food out of it.

How often do you calibrate your probe thermometers to ensure you are getting accurate readings?

Think about how a faulty probe could let unsafe food be served — and how a simple ice-water and boiling-water check protects your customers.

To prepare and serve food safely you should:

• Thaw food thoroughly before cooking, especially poultry.
• Cook and reheat to the correct core temperature.
• Use a clean, calibrated probe to check temperatures.
• Cool food within 90 minutes and refrigerate.
• Hot-hold at 63°C or above and cold-hold at or below 5°C.
• Protect food on display and rotate stock.