| Food Safety for Healthier Living | ||
| Some 7 million Americans come down with food borne illnesses every year. This is caused by microscopic bacteria that can multiply rapidly under the right conditions. The good news is that food- | ||
| related illness is entirely avoidable by proper food handling. | ||
| Shopping
At the supermarket, make sure that refrigerated foods are cold and that frozen foods are solid as a rock. Do not purchase food that has an expired “use by” date. Do not purchase canned goods if the cans are dented or bulging. Organize your shopping trip so that perishable items are the last to be placed in your cart. Do not leave groceries in a hot car; take them home immediately and place perishable items in the refrigerator and freezer. The Refrigerator Experts recommend that the refrigerator be kept as cold as possible (without causing food in the refrigerator to freeze). A good average temperature is around 40 degrees. The freezer should average around 0 degrees. Meats and poultry should be frozen if they won’t be cooked within a few days. Care should be taken to keep meat separate from other food in the refrigerator, and to prevent raw meat juices from dripping on other food. Bacteria multiply rapidly on foods that have a temperature between 40 and 140 degrees. This is why the refrigerator temperature should not be higher than 40 degrees. Leftovers of foods that have been cooked to a temperature higher than 140 degrees should be refrigerated as soon as possible and not be permitted to sit at room temperature longer than two hours. Food Preparation It is extremely important to wash hands after going to the bathroom and before handling food. In addition, hands must be washed after handling raw meat and poultry, to avoid cross-contamination. Food should always be thawed in the refrigerator, never on the kitchen counter. Bacteria can live in sponges and dish towels, so wash dish towels often and replace sponges frequently. Keep raw meat juices away from other foods, such as salads, that will not be cooked. Keep work spaces clean to avoid cross-contamination. Never use the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables for salads. Thorough Cooking As a general rule, it is best not to eat undercooked meats and poultry. Red meat should be cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees. Hamburgers should not be pink in the middle, as bacteria can be mixed throughout the ground beef during processing. Poultry should be cooked to 180 degrees, until juices run clear. Raw eggs sometimes contain salmonella, so they should be cooked thoroughly (not runny). Do not use recipes that require raw eggs. Two Hour Rule All perishable foods, including cooked foods, should never be left at room temperature longer than two hours. After two hours, bacteria can multiply to harmful levels. On very warm days, food should not sit out longer than one hour. Outdoor Barbecues Use clean plates, not plates that held raw meat, to serve grilled foods. Similarly, utensils that are used in raw meat preparation should not be used to serve cooked food. Keep perishable foods in coolers with cold packs until ready to be served. Food to Throw Away Throw away food that smells or looks strange or has mold growing on it. If you are not sure, throw it away anyway. It is better to be safe than sorry. Some people, such as the very young, very old or people with compromised immune systems, are much more susceptible to food poisoning. |
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