Review: Knives and Foodborne Illness

Parts of the Knife Edge – cutting part of the blade Spine – top of the knife blade, opposite the edge Point – edge and spine come together Tip – forward part of knife for detailed cutting Heel – the rear part of edge, opposite the point Bolster – joins blade to handle, provides balance and protects hand Tang – part of blade that extends into the handle Scales – joins tang to create handle Rivets – metal pins that join the tang to scales Butt – end of the handle of the knife

Bread Knife Thick-bladed knife 8-9 inch blade with serrated edge Allows knife to cut through thick, hard crust without crushing the bread Serrations too large to cut fruits/vegetables effectively

Butcher’s Knife Long blade that widens before point Primarily for butchering animals Hefty blade for splitting, stripping and cutting meat Good for cutting larger meat into smaller sections

Carving Knife Used for slicing thin cuts of meat Much thinner blade than chef’s knife Long blade allows large pieces of meat to be cut into clean, even slices Carving station at end of buffet

Chef/French All purpose knife Broad blade that curves upward toward tip (allows knife to rock) Used to cut, chop, and dice

Meat Cleaver Wide-bladed, thick-spined knife Used to cut through meat or poultry bones and crushing seeds or garlic Uses its weight to cut through foods Not meant for slicing

Grapefruit Knife Long, dull blade, with curved end Used to separate flesh of grapefruit from peel and inner membranes Blade is usually serrated with dull tip

Paring Knife Thin, small blade (3-4 inches) Greater amount of control Ideal for peeling and other intricate work

Utility/Steak Knife Multipurpose knife Good for jobs that are too big for pairing knife but not large enough for chef’s knife Larger vegetables and sandwich meats “filler” for knife sets

Safety and Sanitation As a group, brainstorm proper safety and sanitation procedures used in the kitchen/classroom.

Foodborne Illnesses

Did you know?? 76 million people a year become ill due to food 325,000 people a year are hospitalized 5,000 people a year die from a foodborne illness

Foodborne Illnesses bacteria in rare or raw ground beef, milk, and apple cider E-coli – Trichinosis – Salmonella – Botulism – *Which is fatal? *What two groups are easily affected? a parasitic worm often found in pork raw or undercooked eggs, cheese, and poultry improperly canned foods & foods cooled slowly

Prevent Food Poisoning Keep hot food hot; keep cold food cold Danger zone: 40 - 140°F Avoid cross contamination Wash hands with hot, soapy water When in doubt, throw it out!