Curricula and Programs - Free Printable

Spot the Food Safety Do's & Don'ts – Solution

This activity asks you to identify three food safety "Do's" and three food safety "Don'ts" in the illustrated kitchen scene. Let’s analyze the image carefully and explain each one.

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✔ Food Safety DO’s (Good Practices)

1. Use a thermometer to check if the turkey has reached 165°F
- In the image, a thermometer is inserted into the turkey on the stove, showing 165°F, which is the safe internal temperature for cooking poultry.
- ✔ This ensures that harmful bacteria like *Salmonella* or *Campylobacter* are destroyed.
- Action: Circle this.

2. Use separate cutting boards for meat and produce
- There are two cutting boards on the table: one with a fish (raw meat) and another with broccoli (vegetable).
- Using separate boards prevents cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.
- Action: Circle this.

3. Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below
- The fridge temperature is shown as 39°F, which is within the safe range (below 40°F) to prevent bacterial growth.
- Action: Circle this.

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✘ Food Safety DON'Ts (Unsafe Practices)

1. Raw meat is not wrapped properly and is leaking onto the bottom shelf of the fridge
- A package of raw meat (possibly chicken) is placed on the top shelf, and juice is visibly dripping down onto the lower shelves.
- This can lead to cross-contamination of other foods like vegetables and dairy.
- Action: Cross out this area.

2. Don’t rinse raw poultry before cooking
- A turkey leg is being rinsed under running water in the sink.
- Rinsing raw poultry spreads bacteria via splashing water (aerosolization), contaminating the sink, counters, and nearby surfaces.
- Cooking destroys bacteria—rinsing isn’t necessary and increases risk.
- Action: Cross out the turkey leg under the faucet.

3. Allow pets to sit on food preparation surfaces
- A cat is sitting on the countertop near food (cookies and cutting boards).
- Pets can carry bacteria like *Salmonella* or *E. coli*, and their presence on food prep areas can contaminate food.
- Action: Cross out the cat.

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🔍 Summary of Answers:

#### ✔ DO’s (Circle These):
1. Thermometer in turkey showing 165°F
2. Two separate cutting boards (one for fish, one for broccoli)
3. Refrigerator temperature at 39°F

#### ✘ DON’T’s (Cross Out These):
1. Raw meat leaking in the fridge
2. Rinsing raw poultry (turkey leg under tap)
3. Cat on the countertop near food

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💡 Why This Matters:

Food safety is crucial to avoid foodborne illnesses. The key principles here involve:
- Temperature control (keep cold food cold, cook hot food hot),
- Preventing cross-contamination (separate raw and cooked foods),
- Proper handling (don’t wash raw meat, keep pets away from food).

By identifying these practices, students learn how to safely prepare food at home.

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✔ Final Tip: Always follow the “Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill” guidelines from the Partnership for Food Safety Education!

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