SUPERMARKETGURU FOOD &
HEALTH WEEKLY NEWSFLASH!
If You Want to Keep Your Friends and Family Happy and Healthy This Hoilday – Put Food Safety First!
Published on: December 24, 2001by Phil Lempert
'Tis the season to be jolly, having parties, cooking for friends and family and lots of great foods. But keep in mind, that at this time of year, many of us are preparing foods in larger sized quantities and under tighter time pressures, and as a result, you could be creating a greater than average food safety risk in your kitchen.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, are responsible for 1,500 deaths each year.
Here are the steps to follow to reduce your risk of food borne illnesses:
Step #1 -- Clean
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds before and after handling raw products.
• Use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards. Cutting boards should be run through the dishwasher--or washed with soap and hot water--after each use.
Step #2 - Combat Cross-Contamination
• Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on a plate or tray, so raw juices don't drip onto other foods.
• Use one cutting board for raw meat products and another one for salads and other ready-to-eat foods, or wash cutting boards in between each use.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
• Don't spread bacteria with dirty sponges, dishcloths, or towels. Bacteria often thrive in the moist areas of these items where bits of food may also exist. Use paper towels or freshly-cleaned sponges or cloths and soap and hot water to clean food preparation surfaces.
Step #3 - Cook Safely
• For meat, poultry, and other dishes, use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature. When cooking a whole turkey, use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh. The internal temperature should reach a minimum of 180°F. It is recommended to cook stuffing outside the bird. Meats like pork and beef should be cooked to 170 degrees.
• Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm or reach 160°F on a food thermometer. Don't use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked. Cook egg dishes until they reach 160°F.
• Cook fish until it's opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
• When microwaving, make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive). For best results, cover, stir, and rotate food for even cooking. If there's no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.
• When reheating sauces, soups, and gravies, bring them to a boil. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.
Step #4 - Chill Thoroughly
• Make sure the refrigerator temperature is 40°F or below and 0°F or below in the freezer. Occasionally verify these temperatures using an appliance thermometer.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours.
• Never defrost or marinate food at room temperature. Use the refrigerator. You can also thaw foods in airtight packaging in cold water (change the water every 30 minutes, so the food continues to thaw). Or, thaw in the microwave, if you'll be cooking the food immediately.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
• Don't over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe.
Holiday Party Food Safety Tips
• The average used kitchen sponge harbors 7.2 billion bacteria. Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces.
• Place hot cooked foods in chafing dishes, crock pots and warming trays to keep them 140°F or warmer.
• Keep cold foods 40°F or colder by placing them in bowls of ice. To add festivity to your table, use food coloring to give some color to your ice cubes.
• Place small quantities of food on the buffet table and replenish it often using clean dishes. Be sure food is not left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
At Home Cooking, Reheating And Thawing Guidelines
1. Keep your refrigerator clean. Throw out old food and keep cooked and raw food separate. Check the refrigerator temperature occasionally. Main part should not be more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit., and the freezer not above 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Use clean utensils washed in soap and water, and wash them again afterwards. Also wash cutting boards, counters and can-openers frequently.
3. Never put cooked food on plates that previously held raw meat, poultry, fish or seafood.
4. You can't always smell harmful bacteria. Don't even think you can! Always follow the proper cooking temperatures. The following table summarizes temperatures to which meat, poultry, and other products should be heated when you cook them.
Always reheat foods to at least 165°F. Never thaw at room temp. Safe ways to thaw are:
• In the microwave oven
• In the refrigerator
• In a bath of ice cubes in the sink
• While cooking the food
• Under cold, running water
Proper Cooking Temperatures and Times
| PRODUCT | SAFE TEMPERATURE |
| Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures | |
| Turkey, chicken | 170°F |
| Veal, beef, lamb, pork | 160°F |
| Fresh Beef | |
| Medium | 160°F |
| Well Done | 170°F |
| Fresh Veal | |
| Medium | 160°F |
| Well Done | 170°F |
| Fresh Lamb | |
| Medium | 160°F |
| Well Done | 170°F |
| Fresh Pork | |
| Medium | 160°F |
| Well Done | 170°F |
| Poultry | |
| Chicken, whole | 180°F |
| Turkey, whole | 180°F |
| Poultry breasts, roasts | 170°F |
| Poultry thighs, wings | Cook until juices run clear |
| Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird) | 165°F |
| Duck & Goose | 180°F |
| Ham | |
| Fresh (raw) | 160°F |
| Precooked (to reheat) | 140°F |
| Seafood | |
| Shrimp | 5 minutes boiling |
| Fish | Till Flaky |
| Clams | 5-10 min. steamed |
| Oysters | 5 minutes |
Time Limits for Food Storage
| PRODUCT | REFRIG. | FREEZER |
| (40 degrees F) | (0 degrees F) | |
| Soups and Stews | ||
| Vegetable or meat-added | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Ham | ||
| Ham, fully cooked, whole | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Ham, fully cooked, slices | 3-4 days | 1-2 months |
| Fresh Meats | ||
| Steaks, beef | 3-5 days | 6-12 months |
| Chops, pork | 3-5 days | 4-6 months |
| Chops, lamb | 3-5 days | 6-9 months |
| Roasts, beef | 3-5 days | 6-12 months |
| Roasts, pork and veal | 3-5 days | 4-6 months |
| Leftover Meat | ||
| Cooked meat and meat dishes | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Gravy and meat broth | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Fresh Poultry | ||
| Chicken or turkey, whole | 1-2 days | 1 year |
| Chicken, or turkey pieces | 1-2 days | 9 months |
| Cooked Poultry, Leftover | ||
| Cooked poultry dishes | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Pieces covered with broth, gravy | 1-2 days | 6 months |
For Phil's Website: www.supermarketguru.com
Happy Holidays! If you have questions or concerns about food safety, contact:
• The Fight BAC! Web site at: www.fightbac.org
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or (202) 720-3333 (Washington, DC area). The TTY number for the hearing impaired is (800) 256-7072.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Information Line at (888) SAFE FOOD.
