Food safety
The rules and practices aimed at preventing food poisoning, from the cold chain to kitchen hygiene, not to be confused with food supply security.
Food safety covers two distinct notions that French merges into one term, whereas English separates food safety from food security. The first refers to the safety of foods, the second to everyone having access to enough food. This entry is about the first.
The main hazards are microbiological: salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, E. coli, norovirus. Chemical hazards (residues, contaminants, heavy metals) and physical hazards are added to these. Most cases of food poisoning actually start at home, not in catering.
Four habits cover most of the risk at home: wash your hands and clean surfaces; keep raw and cooked food apart to avoid cross-contamination (a chopping board used for raw meat and then for salad is a textbook case); cook food thoroughly, especially minced meat and poultry; and cool food quickly, without letting a dish sit warm for hours on the worktop.
The cold chain deserves particular attention: between 4 and 60 °C is the zone where bacteria multiply fastest. The fridge should be set at 4 °C or lower. Finally, the use-by date (“use by”) is a safety matter and must be respected, unlike the best before date, which concerns quality only.