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Food safety experts advise consumers to refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. So, public health officials recommend setting the refrigerator at 40*F and the freezer unit a 0*F and occasionally checking these temperatures with an appliance thermometer. Then, Americans can "Fight BAC" by following these steps: - Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours.
- Never defrost (or marinate) food on the kitchen counter. Use the refrigerator, cold running water or the microwave.
- Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
- With poultry and other stuffed meats, remove the stuffing and refrigerate it in a separate container.
- Don’t pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR FOOD SAFE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Q . How long can leftover food be left out of the refrigerator? A. Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. But don’t keep food it its been standing out for more than two hours. Don’t taste test it either. Even a small amount of contaminated food can cause illness. Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time. Generally, they remain safe when refrigerated for thee to five days. “If in doubt, throw it out.” Q . What is the proper temperature for your refrigerator? A . Refrigerators should stay at 40*F or less. A temperature of 40*F or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won’t kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying, and the fewer there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them. Q. What can I do to protect myself from food poisoning? A. Follow the food safety rules listed below: Buy only pasteurized dairy products, as indicated on the label, and hard cheese marked “aged 60 days” (or longer) if un-pasteurized milk is used to make them. After you’ve handled or cut raw meat, poultry or seafood, wash your hands, the cutting board, counter, knives, and any other utensils you’ve used with hot soapy water before you use them again to prepare any other food. Thoroughly cook all meat, poultry, and seafood, especially fish. Cover and store leftover cooked food in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Reheat all leftovers until they are steaming hot. Thoroughly wash raw fruits and vegetables with tap water. Follow label instructions on products that must be refrigerated or that have a “use by” date. Keep the inside of the refrigerator and counter tops clean.
COOL IT!! Ground meat and ground poultry are more perishable than most foods. Since you cannot see, smell or taste bacteria, keep the products cold to keep them safe. - Choose ground meat packages that are cold and tightly wrapped. The meat surface exposed to air will be red; interior of fresh meat will be dark.
- Put refrigerated and frozen foods in your grocery cart last and make the grocery store your last stop before home.
- Pack perishables in an ice chest if it will take you more than an hour to get home.
- Place ground meat and ground poultry in the refrigerator or freezer immediately.
- Defrost frozen ground meats in the refrigerator – NEVER at room temperature. If microwave defrosting, cook immediately.
- Set your refrigerator at 40*F or colder and your freezer at 0*F or colder.
- Keep uncooked ground meat and ground poultry in the refrigerator, cook or freeze within 1 to 2 days.
- Use or freeze cooked meat and poultry stored in the refrigerator within 3 to 4 days.
- For best quality, store frozen raw ground meats no longer than 3 to 4 months; cooked meats, 2 to 3 months.
CONSUMER GUIDELINES Cold storage time for Ground Meat and Ground Poultry Refrigerator (40°F or below) | | Product | Days | Uncooked ground meat and ground poultry (bulk or patties) | 1 to 2 days | Cooked ground meat and ground poultry (hamburgers, meat loaf and dishes containing ground meats) | 3 to 4 days |
THE BIG THAW Defrosting “Do’s” - Defrost food in the refrigerator. This is the safest method for all foods.
- Short on time? Thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging under cold running water.
- Defrost food in the microwave only if it will be cooked immediately.
- You can thaw as part of the cooking process, but make sure food reaches its safe internal temperature.
Defrosting “Don’ts” - Avoid keeping food in the Danger Zone – the unsafe temperatures between 40*F and 140*F.
- Don’t defrost food in hot water.
- Don’t thaw food on the counter top. Food that’s left out at room temperature for longer than two hours is not within a safe temperature range and may not be safe to eat.
THE TOP FOUR COOL RULES The Chill Factor – Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours or less. Marinate foods in the refrigerator. The Thaw Law – Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave if you’ll be cooking immediately. Divide and Conquer – Separate large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. Avoid the Pack Attack – Don’t over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe. Serve & Preserve When serving cold food at a buffet, picnic or barbecue, keep these “chilling” tips in mind. Cold food should be kept at 40*F or colder. Place containers of cold food on ice for serving to make sure they stay cold. Keep all perishable foods chilled right up until serving time. It’s particularly important to keep custards, cream pies, and cakes with whipped-cream or cream –cheese frostings refrigerated. Don’t serve them if refrigeration is not possible.
‘FRIDGE QUIZ Put your knowledge of proper refrigeration to the test. 1. Should hot food be placed directly in the refrigerator? YES or NO 2. Refrigeration prevents bacterial growth. TRUE or FALSE 3. At what temperature should you set your refrigerator? ______ *F ANSWERS 1. YES, but divide larger quantities of food into shallow containers for quicker cooling 2. FALSE. Refrigeration slows, but does not prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. 3. 40*F to discourage the growth of foodborne bacteria. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator regularly.
CAN YOUR KITCHEN PASS THE FOOD SAFETY TEST? Choose the answer that best describes the practice in you household whether or not you are the primary food handler. - The temperature of the refrigerator in my home is:
- 50*F
- 41*F
- I don’t know; I’ve never measured it.
- The last time we had leftover cooked stew or other food with meat, chicken or fish, the food was:
- Cooled to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator
- Put in the refrigerator immediately after the food was served
- Left at room temperature overnight or longer
- The last time the kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe in my home were sanitized was:
- Last night
- Several weeks ago
- Can’t remember
- If a cutting board is used in my home to cut raw meat, poultry or fish and it is going to be used to chop another food, the board is:
- Reuse as is
- Wiped with a damp cloth
- Washed with soap and hot water and sanitized with a mild bleach solution
- The last time we had hamburgers in my home, I ate mine:
- Rare
- Medium
- Well-done
- The last time there was cookie dough in my home, the dough was:
- Made with raw eggs, and I sampled some of it
- Stored-bought, and I sampled some of it
- Not sampled until baked
- I clean my kitchen counters and other surfaces that come in contact with food with:
- Water
- Hot water and soap
- Hot water and soap, then bleach solution
- Hot water and soap, then commercial sanitizing product
- When dishes are washed in my home, the are:
- Cleaned by an automatic dishwasher and then air-dried
- Left to soak in the sink for several hours and then washed with soap in the same water
- Washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and then air-dried
- Washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and immediately towel-dried
- The last time I handled raw meat, poultry or fish, I cleaned my hands afterwards by:
- Wiping them on a towel
- Rinsing them under hot, cold or warm tap water
- Washing with soap and warm water
- Meat poultry and fish products are defrosted in my home:
- On the counter
- In the refrigerator
- In the microwave
ANSWERS 1. Give yourself 2-points if you picked B. Many people overlook the importance of maintaining proper refrigerator temperature. Refrigerators should stay at 41*F or less, it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won’t kill the bacteria, but it will keep it from multiplying. - Answer B is the best practice; give yourself 2 points if you picked it.
Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. But don’t keep the food standing out for more than two hours. If in doubt, throw it out. - If answer A best describes your household’s practice, give yourself 2 points. Give yourself 1-point if you chose B.
The kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe are often overlooked, but shudl be sanitized periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of 1teaspoon bleanc in 1 quart of water.
- If answer C best describes your households practices, give yourself 2 points
Washing with soap and hot water and then sanitizing with a mild bleach solution is the safest practice. Never allow raw meat, poultry or fish to come in contact with other foods. Wiping with a damp cloth will not remove bacteria.
- Give yourself 2 points if you picked answer C.
The safest way to eat burgers is fully cooked. Cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160*F usually protects against food-borne illness.
- Answers B or C will earn you 2-points If you answered A you may be putting yourself at risk for infection with Salmonella a bacterium that can be in shell eggs.
Cooking the egg or egg containing food to at least 140*F kill the bacteria. Foods containing raw eggs such as homemade ice cream, homemade mayonnaise, and eggnog, carry a Salmonella risk, but their commercial counterparts don’t. - Answers C or D will earn you 2 points; answer B, 1 point
Bleach and commercial kitchen cleaning agents are the best sanitizers – provided they’re diluted according to product directions. Hot water and soap will clean, but may not kill bacteria.
- Answers A or C are worth 2 points
When you let dishes sit in water for a long time, it creates a “soup” The washing dishes by hand it is best to wash them all within 2hours and let them air-dry.
- The only correct practice is answer C. Give yourself 2 points if you picked it.
Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw food. If you have an infected cut on you your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves.
- Give yourself 2 points if you picked B or C.
Food safety experts recommend thawing food in the refrigerator or the microwave. Do not thaw meat, poultry, and fish products on the counter or in the sink with hot or warm water.
Rating Your Home’s Food Practices 20 points – Feel confident about the safety of foods served in your home. 12 to 19 points – Re-examine food safety practices in your home. Some key rules are being violated. 11 points or below – Take steps immediately to correct food handling , storage and cooking techniques used in your home.
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