Interesting what you find in the back of a refrigerator. As I was cleaning my refrigerator, I found food— and I use the term loosely, that looked like it had been there since the beginning of time. I should know better. So should we all, says the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in a recent report on home food safety. They surveyed 565 households and found that most of us have a thing or two to learn about how to keep our food at home safe to eat.The first step should always begin with washing your hands...often. After we handle raw meat, poultry, or seafood. And before we start to cut raw vegetables and fruit. It may sound like fanaticism, but when handling foods, you can never wash your hands enough. Now that you are washing your hands, you might wonder how long to actually do it. A good rule of thumb to know how long to wash your hands is to sing two choruses of the song, “Happy Birthday”, suggests the ADA, while you lather your hands with soap and water. That’s the amount of time — about 20 seconds — it takes to clean invisible bacteria from your hands.
Temperature violation is another way we make ourselves sick with food, when we don’t cook food to a high enough temperature to destroy bacteria. The only way to really know that meat, poultry, and casseroles are safe to eat is to place a meat thermometer in the thickest part, away from the bone. Cook steak to at least 145 degrees F. (medium rare). Burgers, casseroles, and egg dishes need to be cooked to a minimum 160 degrees F. Poultry should reach at least 170 degrees F. to be safe.
Leftovers stored below the recommended 40 degrees F. won’t stay fresh forever. Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria but it does not kill them. Use these guidelines to help gauge when to get rid of leftovers:
- Cooked vegetables, soups or stews, Cooked beef, pork, poultry, fish, and meat casseroles: 3 to 4 days.
- Gravy and broth: 1 to 2 days
- Cooked pasta: 3 to 5 days
- Cooked rice: 7 days
- Deli meats: 5 days
- Cooked seafood: 2 days
- Raw potatoes: Before they grow branches
- Raw carrots: Before you can tie them in a knot
Defrost meat, poultry and fish in the refrigerator and take them to the grill when the fire is ready. Letting meat, fish and poultry sit outside until the grill is ready, can allow bacteria to grow. When you’re cooking on the grill, be sure to check the temperature of the meat. Just because the outside looks good doesn't mean the inside temperature is high enough to kill bacteria.
Remember that getting sick from food poisoning or other related food illnesses will definitely put a damper on a pleasurable meal that was prepared without food safety in mind. Temperature violation is another way we make ourselves sick with food, when we don’t cook food to a high enough temperature to destroy bacteria. The only way to really know that meat, poultry, and casseroles are safe to eat is to place a meat thermometer in the thickest part, away from the bone. Cook steak to at least 145 degrees F. (medium rare). Burgers, casseroles, and egg dishes need to be cooked to a minimum 160 degrees F. Poultry should reach at least 170 degrees F. to be safe.
Food Safety is also important when grilling and barbecuing food. A recent survey revealed that Americans are using more and more outdoor cooking – even in the dead of winter. Grilling provides lots of new entree choices and flavors. But before you light that fire, take some steps to safe eating.
Once the meat, poultry and fish are defrosted take them to the grill when the fire is ready. Letting meat, fish and poultry sit outside until the grill is ready, can allow bacteria to grow. When you’re cooking on the grill, be sure to check the temperature of the meat. Just because the outside looks good doesn't mean the inside temperature is high enough to kill bacteria.
Marinades give grilled meat a nice flavor, but if you want to baste the meat while it cooks be sure to have fresh marinade. The marinade you used for the meat can have bacteria in it and isn’t a good choice for basting. If you’re serving potato salad or cheese potatoes, remember to keep them at the right temperature until it’s time to eat. Protein foods can spoil very easily when left to sit at room temperature.
What about perishable food such as cooked meat or casseroles that has been left unrefrigerated for more than 1 to 2 hours? Toss it! Remember the old axiom still applies, “When in doubt, throw it out.”
Getting sick from food poisoning or other related food illnesses will definitely put a damper on a pleasurable meal that was prepared without food safety in mind.
Podcast about food safety
