With the Lunar New Year approaching, people should
take heed of food safety when purchasing or preparing
their own "Poon Choi".
"Poon Choi", which comprises a great variety
of food, involves a number of processing steps,
which demands meticulous attention during preparation.
People should order their "Poon Choi"
from reputable and licensed food suppliers. If they
want to make their own, they should maintain good
personal and food hygiene to prevent cross contamination.
To enjoy a delicious and healthy meal, people should
pay particular attention to food safety.
Here are some safety tips
for enjoying "Poon Choi":
When purchasing "Poon Choi":
* Order from reputable licensed suppliers.
*
Hot "Poon Choi" should be kept at 60˘J
or above and chilled ˇ§Poon Choiˇ¨ should be kept
at 4˘J or below to prevent growth of bacteria.
*
Ask for the reheating instruction for the "Poon
Choi". For example, does the ˇ§Poon Choiˇ¨ have
to be reheated before consumption and if so, how
and for how long? And is it possible to reheat it
in its original container?
*
Notify the supplier of the time you collect the
"Poon Choi". It is best to collect it
half an hour to one hour before consumption.
*
Return home immediately after collecting the "Poon
Choi". Avoid keeping it for a prolonged period
of time at room temperature.
When preparing "Poon
Choi" at home:
* Buy ingredients from reputable retailers.
*
Plan the work schedule ahead of time, with consideration
to ingredients involved. Don't start cooking too
early.
*
Defrost frozen food inside the chilled compartment
of a refrigerator or under cool running water.
*
Cook high risk food such as poached chicken and
seafood like fresh oysters thoroughly.
*
Raw and cooked food should be covered and stored
separately to prevent cross contamination.
*
If the ingredients need to be stored after cooking,
they should either be kept chilled at 4˘J or below,
or kept warm at 60˘J or over.
*
Cover food properly to prevent cross contamination.
*
Since lots of ingredients and cooking utensils are
involved in the course of preparing "Poon Choi",
a well-organised work schedule can help prevent
cross contamination.
*
Before preparing "Poon Choi", thoroughly
clean and sterilize cutting boards, knives, containers
and other cooking utensils.
*
Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash hands with
liquid soap before handling food and after using
the toilet.
When consuming "Poon
Choi":
* Consume the "Poon Choi" as soon as possible
after it is collected or cooked. Don't keep it under
room temperature for more than two hours.
*
As "Poon Choi" is generally served in
a large pot, a longer period of time is required
to reheat it thoroughly.
*
When eating "Poon Choi" in a restaurant,
pay attention to its serving temperature. When in
doubt, stop eating and inform the caterer in charge.
*
Use communal chopsticks and spoons when consuming
ˇ§Poon Choiˇ¨
Last
revision date: 05-01-2006