Don't Forget
This should be done before putting on gloves, after touching your face, and every time you switch tasks
Washing your hands
Gloves aren't a substitute for handwashing — they can trap bacteria against skin just as easily as they block it.
This type of contamination happens when juices from raw meat drip onto ready-to-eat food, like lettuce sitting below it in the fridge.
Cross-contamination
This is why raw meat should always be stored on the bottom shelf — so drips fall onto empty shelf space, not onto other food.
This is the top temperature (°F) cold food can be safely held at before entering the "Danger Zone."
41°F
Cold holding at or below 41°F slows bacterial growth to a near-standstill.
This daily Kitchen task catches equipment problems before food is ever put at risk.
Checking fridge/freezer temperatures
They can drift out of safe range overnight without anyone noticing until the log check catches it.
This is the general term for a microorganism (like bacteria, virus, or parasite) that can cause foodborne illness.
Pathogen
Not all microorganisms are harmful — pathogens are specifically the ones capable of making people sick, while many others (like those used in fermentation) are harmless or even beneficial.
This is the temperature an ice-point calibrated thermometer should read when tested in a cup of ice water
32°F
This calibration check should be done weekly, since thermometers can drift out of accuracy with repeated use or drops.
When opening a new sleeve of cups or plates, you should pull from this end of the stack.
The bottom
Pulling from the top means your fingers repeatedly touch the rim area of every cup above the one you're taking — pulling from the bottom keeps hands off that contact surface entirely.
This term describes contamination from foreign objects like glass, metal shavings, staples, or bandages ending up in food.
Physical contamination
Tin Foil or plastic wrap cover our food daily. These are easy to tear and have a small amount end up in the food.
This is the temperature range (°F) known as the "Danger Zone," where bacteria multiply fastest
41°F–135°F
In this range, bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes under ideal conditions
This is easy to skip when food gets moved between containers, but it's the only way to know when something needs to be used or tossed.
Date label (or "use by" label)
Without dating, leftovers often get judged by smell or look alone — which isn't reliable for catching bacterial growth.
What are the 3 hazards from the environment that can make food unsafe? Name an example of each.
1. Biological (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi)
2. Chemical (cleaners, sanitizers, and polishes)
3. Physical (bones, fruit pits, metal shavings, staples, dirt, glass, bandages, and jewelry)
This method of thawing frozen food should never be used, since it can leave parts of the food in the Danger Zone for too long while other parts are still frozen.
The counter (room temperature thawing)
Safe thawing methods are: in the fridge, submerged under cold running water, in the microwave (if cooking immediately after), or as part of the cooking process itself — never just left out on a counter.
What TCS (temperature control for safety) measure to think about when cutting watermelon for snack.
4 hours max on the counter (Danger Zone rule) before it should be tossed or refrigerated.
Cut watermelon falls under the same rule as any TCS (Temperature Control for Safety) food — once cut, it's no longer just "fruit," it's treated like a perishable item that can support bacterial growth. Cut melons specifically made the FDA's TCS food list because their flesh has a near-neutral pH and high moisture — ideal conditions for bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella to grow once the protective rind is gone.
There are eight food items cause most allergic reactions, and that they are called “The Big Eight.” Name 6 of the 8.
This is the temperature food reheated in a microwave must reach, and this many minutes it must stand covered afterward
165°F, and 2 minutes standing time
Microwaves heat unevenly, so the standing time lets heat distribute throughout the food, closing any cold spots before serving.