Understanding Food Safety Laws and Regulations

The CDC estimates that 48 million Americans get sick every year due to foodborne diseases.

Of course, we take great care with fo

Of course, as those in charge of handling food we take great care and follow all food safety laws. We know anyone that handles food, whether that’s at a restaurant, aged care facility or grocery store needs to have the appropriate Food Handling Certificate to ensure they learn of the food safety laws and practices they need to handle food safely.

Still, it’s hard to keep track of changing food regulations and laws, especially when we keep seeing headlines about recalls and outbreaks. In this post, we’ll provide an overview of the basic food laws you should be aware of.

Keep reading to learn more about food safety — your health depends on it!

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Safe Food Temperatures

Did you know that there’s a designated “danger zone” where harmful bacteria thrive?

For meat, poultry, and seafood, this zone exists between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. Never leave food sitting out of refrigeration for more than two hours (or over one hour if it’s above 90 degrees).

When roasting meat or poultry, the oven must be at least 325 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that steaks and chops reach at least 145 degrees internally, while poultry reaches 165 degrees. Use steak temperature chart for your assistance when cooking beef.

Food Laws About Sourcing

As stated on tracegains.com, most commercial food products are “Generally Recognized as Safe.” Still, just because you’re using fresh, safe ingredients doesn’t mean there aren’t food laws to consider.

For example, it is illegal to serve food in a restaurant that was prepared in a home kitchen (no matter how good it tastes). This is because there’s no way of regulating the cooking space or ensuring food safety laws were followed.

Also, restaurant owners must source all meat, eggs, milk, and game from an approved vendor.

Food Safety Laws Regarding Meat

The last thing you want is to make yourself or a customer sick. There are many food production laws surrounding meat, but it’s up to you to inspect every piece of meat before you prepare it.

Beef, pork, and lamb should be free from any usual coloring (green, brown, or purple spots). Never consume raw or cooked shellfish if the shells arrived partially opened. With fresh poultry products, always check underneath the wings to ensure there are no sticky spots.

Safe Handling of Ice

Surprisingly, some of the toughest food safety laws are about ice. Restaurants are allowed to use ice for two reasons: serving drinks to customers and keeping food cold.

It is illegal to use ice for drinks if it was previously used to keep food items cold. Also, restaurant employees must not use their hands when handling ice. Instead, they need to use designated ice scoops (and store them properly after use rather than tossing them back into the ice).

Food Regulations & More

As you can see, there are some strict food laws and guidelines in place. Whether you’re running a restaurant, shopping at a grocery store, or preparing a meal at home, keep these important food safety tips in mind.

Now that you know more about food safety laws, what’s next? Our site is full of interesting reads like this one, so keep browsing!

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Christophe Rude
Christophe Rude
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