Food safety

Low-risk foods

Low-risk foods are the safest food options for donation, for example:

• Non-perishable foods that do not require refrigeration to maintain food safety (e.g., dry goods and canned goods).
• Low-risk perishable foods e.g., whole, raw fruits and vegetables that have not been cut or peeled.
  • If these are prepared in any way (e.g., cut) they need to be refrigerated to avoid contamination.

Potentially hazardous foods 

• Foods like dairy, egg, tofu and meat products and prepared dishes can be potentially hazardous, because these types of foods support the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria that can make us sick.
• These foods require time and temperature control to limit growth of bacteria.
  • Temperature: Keep potentially hazardous foods out of the danger zone, 4°C to 60°C (this is where bacteria can grow quickly). Keep cold foods cold (4°C or below) and hot food hot (60°C or above).
  • Time: Potentially hazardous foods must not be held in the danger zone (above 4°C and below 60°C) for more than 2 hours
• Ready-to-eat food
  • Does not require further preparation prior to eating
  • Food that can be consumed ‘as is’ without additional cooking
  • Ready-to-eat food can be pre-packaged and can be shelf-stable or require temperature control (e.g., refrigeration or hot holding).

• Partially consumed foods
• Uninspected meat
• Unpasteurized dairy or juice products
• Ungraded or “Grade C” eggs
• Home canned food products
• Foods that have been previously offered, displayed or served to patrons
• Expired baby formula, meal replacements, nutritional supplements or formulated liquid diets
• Food that was damaged from flood or fire
• Food with visible damage or compromised vacuum seals
• Foods with insect or rodent damage
• Potentially hazardous foods that have been temperature abused (i.e., not stored at the proper temperature)

Safe food preparation

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds:
  • Prior to preparing food
  • After touching raw meat, poultry, eggs or seafood
  • After touching pets
  • After using the bathroom
  • After sneezing or coughing
• When preparing food, use equipment and surfaces that are easily cleanable, non-toxic and non-corrosive.
• Surfaces and dishes that contact food should be washed in hot water with detergent, rinsed, sanitized and air dried.
  • A sanitizer can be prepared by mixing 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of unscented household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) with 3 cups (750 mL) of water.
• Keep pets separate from food preparation area.
• Separate raw food from other food and surfaces to prevent bacteria from spreading:
  • Store raw food at the bottom of the fridge in sealed containers or plastic bags to stop raw meat juice from falling on other surfaces
  • Clean and sanitize surfaces that have touched raw meat
  • Use a separate cutting board for raw meat and different ones for fruit or vegetables
  • Prepare vegetables or fruit first before preparing raw meat.

Time and temperature control

• Keep cold food cold at 4°C or colder.
• Keep hot food hot at 60°C or hotter.
• Use a probe thermometer to measure the internal temperature to check cooked food to ensure bacteria has been killed.

Safe cooking temperatures

• Whole poultry: 82°C
• Food mixture containing poultry, egg, meat, fish or another potentially hazardous food: 74°C
• Poultry pieces or ground: 74°C
• Pork: 71°C
• Fish: 70°C

• Thaw in the refrigerator
• Under cold running water
• In the microwave (cook immediately after)

Safe cooling and reheating

• The safest way to serve hot food is at 60°C or above. If food needs to be cooled, help prevent bacterial growth and toxin formation by:
• Cooling hot food from 60°C to 20°C within 2 hours, and
• Cooling food from 20°C to 4°C within 4 hours.
• Cooling can be done safely by:
  • Putting foods in smaller containers.
  • Putting foods in shallow containers.
• If food is cooled and is to be reheated on-site it should be reheated to the original cooking temperature to ensure the food is safe to eat.

• Food requiring refrigeration should be kept cold during transport, at 4°C or less (e.g., on ice in a cooler).
• Hot food should be kept hot during transport, at 60°C or hotter (e.g., in a Cambro).
• Store food in food grade containers or packaging that are free from cracks or chips.
• Food should remain covered during transport to protect against dust, insects or other sources of contamination.
• Label any personal equipment (e.g,. cooler) with your name and phone number so it can be returned.