Safe Food Handling

Canada’s food supply is one of the safest in the world. However, food safety doesn’t just happen. We can all play a role in making sure that the food we put on our tables is safe to eat.

Providing consumers with a safe food supply is a responsibility that Manitoba pork producers take very seriously and they enjoy the same food products as you do. Canada has a global reputation for producing safe, high quality food, and producers must follow a number of provincial and federal guidelines. To learn more about Canada's on-farm food safety, quality assurance, traceability, and animal care programs, visit the Verified Canadian Pork website. 

Food Safety at Home

Consumer Food Safety:

Follow the 4 steps – Clean, Separate, Chill, Cook – to eliminate harmful bacteria and greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness. And remember, “When in doubt, throw it out!” Reduce the risk of foodborne illness by following these 4 IMPORTANT steps:

1. CLEAN
Wash your hands and kitchen surfaces often.

2. SEPARATE
Keep raw meat/poultry/seafood and their juices separate from other foods. Don’t cross-contaminate.

3. CHILL
Refrigerate or freeze foods promptly.

4. COOK
Always cook to proper temperatures. Keep pork below 40°F (4°C) or above 140°F (60°C)! The Danger Zone is between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F). When pork is in between these two temperatures, two things can happen:

– Rapid growth of bacteria
– May lead to spoilage and change in colour

2-Hour Rule:

Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers, within two hours. Discard food left at room temperature longer than two hours. This includes food in the car, at picnics and food left on the counter.

Find more excellent food safety information by following the links below:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Food safety is the CFIA’s top priority. The CFIA, along with many federal, provincial and municipal organizations, is working to improve the overall health of Canadians. The CFIA develops and delivers programs and services designed to protect Canadians from preventable food safety hazards, to ensure that food safety emergencies are effectively managed, and that the public is aware of–and contributes to–food safety.

Health Canada: Food and Nutrition
Safe food and good nutrition are important to Canadians. Maintaining the safety of Canada’s food supply is a shared responsibility among government, industry and consumers. Eating a nutritious and balanced diet is one of the best ways to protect and promote good health.

FIGHT BAC! Partnership for Food Safety Education
The Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education (the Partnership) is a group of industry, consumer and government organizations that have joined to develop and implement a national safe food handling education program for consumers.

General food safety tips – Government of Canada
Protect your family with tips for handling, storing, cooking, barbecuing and reheating food. Also find facts on pesticides and food safety, labels and packaging, and allergies.