What are the 4Cs of food hygiene? Cleaning, cooking, chilling and cross-contamination explained

1. Cleaning

Cleaning removes the dirt and bacteria that cause food poisoning. In practice it means:

• Washing your hands with soap and warm water before preparing food and after handling raw meat, fish or poultry.
• Cleaning as you go: if food or juices spill, clear them up straight away and clean the surface thoroughly.
• Cleaning and sanitising food preparation areas after use, and washing equipment between tasks.

2. Cooking

Cooking food properly kills harmful bacteria. The FSA says the middle of the food should reach 70°C for 2 minutes, or one of these combinations of temperature and time:

Without a probe thermometer, check the food is steaming hot all the way through, with steam rising from the middle when it is cut. In England, hot food kept for service must be held at 63°C or above.

3. Chilling

Chilling slows the growth of bacteria. The FSA advises keeping fridges between 0 and 5°C and checking them with a thermometer. In England the law sets the limit for chilled food at 8°C or below. During preparation, keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible, the FSA says a maximum of four hours, and store food with a use-by date, cooked dishes, salads and dairy products in the fridge.

4. Avoiding cross-contamination

The FSA calls cross-contamination "one of the most common causes of food poisoning". It happens when bacteria spread between food, surfaces or equipment, most often when raw food touches or drips onto ready-to-eat food. To prevent it:

• Keep raw food covered and separate from ready-to-eat food.
• Use different chopping boards and utensils for raw meat, fish or poultry, for fruit and vegetables, and for ready-to-eat food such as salads and cheese.
• Do not wash raw meat, fish or poultry, because the splashes spread bacteria.
• Wash your hands after touching raw food.

Allergens follow the same logic. Keeping ingredients that contain allergens apart, and cleaning between uses, protects customers with allergies as well as preventing food poisoning.

How the 4Cs show up at an inspection

A food safety officer from your council checks how hygienically food is handled (prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored), the physical condition of the premises, and the processes, training and systems used to keep hygiene standards up. All three elements count towards the food hygiene rating, so the 4Cs are as much about records and routines as about what happens on the day.

Learning the 4Cs

Level 1 food hygiene covers the 4Cs for people who work around food. Level 2 goes further for anyone who prepares, cooks or serves open food, adding temperature control, allergens and the law. Both are online at Lift College, with a CPD Standards Office accredited certificate the same day you pass.