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In this video you'll learn important things you can do
to protect the health of your community
when preparing food for community events.
Gatherings are a time when our community gets together
to connect with each other.
We have special events like pow wows, treaty days,
sporting events, celebrations and meetings.
Sharing food is often an important part
of these gatherings.
It's our responsibility to make sure that this food
is safe to eat.
Following safe food practices at home is a great start,
but there are additional things that can be done to help make
sure that the food we share at a gathering is also safe.
Small things we can do to protect our families
and our community include good planning, cooking,
serving and transporting.
Keeping food safe during community events can be
a challenge because you're dealing with large amounts
of food that have to be prepared and served properly.
In some cases the food is prepared off site,
and has to be transported to where it will be served.
If food is not kept at the right temperatures
bacteria can grow quickly.
Temperatures between 4 degrees Celsius
and 60 degrees are known as the danger zone.
Because of this it's especially important to follow food safety
practices to help make sure that the food that community
members eat at gatherings helps to nourish their body
and doesn't make them sick.
This is especially true for pregnant women, young children,
the elderly and those with a weakened immune system.
Good planning is the first step when preparing food
for large groups.
No matter how you get the food, whether by hunting,
gathering, fishing or buying it, it is important to know
in advance what food will be prepared and how much,
how the food will be obtained or where it will be purchased,
how much storage or preparation space is available,
particularly for the refrigeration,
where the food will be served, what equipment is available
for heating or cooling food, and if there is running water.
If not, you should make arrangements
to have some available.
When you're preparing and cooking food it is important
to wash hands with soap and warm water for at least
20 seconds and rinse before and after handling food.
Limit food preparation areas to only those
that are preparing food.
Separate raw and cooked foods to avoid cross contamination.
Make sure that you do not cook foods too many days in advance.
Cook small amounts of food at a time to make sure
that it's cooked evenly.
Ensure that the food is cooked thoroughly
to the appropriate temperatures.
Consult HealthyCanadians.gc.ca /FirstNationsFoodSafety
for more information on recommended cooking temperatures
for game and store-bought food.
Wash and sanitize food thermometers
before and after use.
It is recommended to serve food right away.
If it's not possible, make sure you keep hot foods hot
at 60 degrees Celsius and cold food cold at 4 degrees Celsius
until it's ready to be served.
If you are transporting food from one location to another
remember to make sure the vehicle is as clean
as possible, and put food in insulated
and closed containers.
Once the food is at the location where it will
be served it is important that proper storage,
reheating and cooling practices are followed to keep food safe.
Food should always be served at the right temperatures
to prevent bacteria from growing and making people sick.
Remember that it's best to use a food thermometer to make sure
that hot food is kept hot at 60 degrees Celsius or higher until
it is served, and cold food is kept cold at 4 degrees Celsius
or lower until it is served.
When serving food, it is important to wear a hair net,
wear gloves, avoid using hands to serve food,
and use appropriate serving utensils such
as tongs and spoons.
Use separate serving utensils for each food.
Separate uncooked food from cooked food or ready-to-eat
foods, and keep contact surfaces clean and sanitized.
To sanitize use a mild bleach solution.
You can make this by mixing one teaspoon
of bleach with three cups of water.
If there is any food left over,
it is important to cool it properly.
When cooling the remaining food,
remember to divide food into smaller portions.
This allows the food to cool faster.
Refrigerate food in shallow pans or containers.
This allows for even cooling.
Don't cover food that is still hot
as it prevents fast cooling.
Avoid putting too much food in the fridge at one time.
This can raise the temperature in the fridge
and prevent even and fast cooling.
Remember, the fridge temperature should be kept
at 4 degrees Celsius or lower and the freezer
should be at minus 18 degrees Celsius or lower.
For more information on how you can protect the health
of your family and your community when handling,
preparing and storing food,
visit HealthyCanadians.gc.ca /FirstNationsFoodSafety
or talk to your local environmental
health officer or health care provider.