talking about Food Safety

Adapted from: FDA> the "411" On the 4Cs!
From farm to table, essential 4Cs:
1) Clean
2) Cook
3) Combat Cross-contamination and
4) Chill

Adapted from: FDA> Food Safety for YOU!> Know the Code
Here are TIPS from the FDA's Food Code for people working in foodservice:

• Don't go to work if you're not feeling well. Sick food workers can transmit diseases to food -- and other people. Those experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, fever, or sore throat with fever should be kept away from food preparation and clean items that touch food.


• Prepare food with clean equipment, dishes, and utensils. Store food in clean containers and use clean utensils.


• Use deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, dispensing equipment, or single-use gloves to help keep potentially-contaminated bare hands from touching ready-to-eat foods.
  
• Provide a proper barrier to cover any skin lesions, open wounds, boils, or infected wounds on your hands and arms.
  
• Don't wear artificial fingernails and jewelry when preparing food.


• Don't sneeze or cough into foods. If you sneeze or cough, wash your hands again with hot, soapy water right away.


• To prevent the growth of bacteria, clean and sanitize receiving, storage, cutting, checkout, and display areas regularly.

Don't Go There! Inside the DANGER ZONE

• It's important to keep food below or above the danger zone, the temperatures at which bacteria can grow.
  
• This is usually between 40° and 140° F (4° and 60° C). Some pathogenic bacteria can grow at 32° F (0° C), the temperature at which water freezes.


• So remember the 2-Hour Rule: Discard any perishable foods left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. When temperatures are above 90° F (32°C), discard food after 1 hour!


• The temperatures shown in the chart at right are recommended for consumer cooking. They are not intended for processing, institutional, or foodservice preparation.

Putting the 2-Hour Rule into Action
HOT FOODS: When you purchase hot cooked food, keep it hot. Eat and enjoy your food within 2 hours to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying.
If you're not eating a food within 2 hours -- and you want to keep it hot -- keep the food in the oven with the temperature set at or above 140° F (60° C). Use a food thermometer to check the temperature. Side dishes, like stuffing, must also stay hot in the oven. Covering food will help keep it moist.
COLD FOODS should be eaten within 2 hours of preparation, or refrigerated or frozen for eating at another time.

Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart

(The Chart can be found here: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fttstore.html)

1. Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart and follow these tips. These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.


2. Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
   
3. Follow handling recommendations on product.


4. Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.


5. If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag. Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.

Adapted from: FDA> FSIS>FAQs> Food Safety: Food Storage, Preparation & Handling.....Questions and Answers:

What food safety precautions should I take when shopping at the supermarket?

While shopping, you should keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from ready-to-eat foods in your grocery shopping cart and your grocery bags. Consider placing these raw foods inside plastic bags to keep the juices contained. Also, transport food home right away and refrigerate perishables immediately to prevent any bacteria from rapidly multiplying in the food. When the weather's hot, place the groceries in the air-conditioned compartment of your car rather than the hot trunk.

How long is it safe to keep a turkey, or other meat or poultry product, in the freezer?

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of "Focus on Freezing" which lists optimum freezing times for best quality. If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after defrosting. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. (Source: Freezing and Food Safety)

Is it safe to refreeze food that has thawed completely?

Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. And if previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.(Source: Freezing and Food Safety)

What is a safe internal temperature for cooking meat and poultry?

Following is a chart of safe minimum internal temperatures:
Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops may be cooked to 145 °F.
All cuts of pork, 160 °F.
Ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 °F.
All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

How can I safely cook meat or poultry in the microwave oven?

Microwave Cooking

• Arrange food items evenly in a covered dish and add some liquid if needed. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap; loosen or vent the lid or wrap to let steam escape. The moist heat that is created will help destroy harmful bacteria and ensure uniform cooking. Cooking bags also provide safe, even cooking.


• Do not cook large cuts of meat on high power (100%). Large cuts of meat should be cooked on medium power (50%) for longer periods. This allows heat to reach the center without overcooking outer areas.


• Stir or rotate food midway through the microwaving time to eliminate cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive, and for more even cooking.


• When partially cooking food in the microwave to finish cooking on the grill or in a conventional oven, it is important to transfer the microwaved food to the other heat source immediately. Never partially cook food and store it for later use.


• Use a food thermometer or the oven's temperature probe to verify the food has reached a safe temperature. Cooking times may vary because ovens vary in power and efficiency.


• Check in several places—not near fat or bone—to be sure the internal temperature of beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops is 145 °F; pork is 160 °F; and ground beef, veal and lamb is 160 °F. Poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. For a whole chicken or turkey, check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer.


• Cooking whole, stuffed poultry in a microwave is not recommended. The stuffing might not reach the temperature needed to destroy harmful bacteria.

Microwave Reheating

• Cover foods with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap to hold in moisture and provide safe, even heating.


• Heat ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, fully cooked ham, and leftovers until steaming hot.


• Stir or rotate food midway through the microwaving time to eliminate cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive, and for more even cooking.


• After reheating foods in the microwave oven, allow standing time. Use a clean food thermometer to check that food has reached 165 °F. (Sources: Microwave Ovens and Food Safety; Cooking Safely in the Microwave Oven)

Should a large pot of soup sit on the range until it cools, or should it be refrigerated hot?

Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or it can be rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. Cover foods to retain moisture and prevent them from picking up odors from other foods. A large pot of food like soup or stew should be divided into small portions and put in shallow containers before being refrigerated. A large cut of meat or whole poultry should be divided into smaller pieces and wrapped separately or placed in shallow containers before refrigerating.(Source: Refrigeration and Food Safety)

Are canned goods still safe after a year? Two years? Longer?

• Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes.


• Store high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years.


• Canned meat and poultry will keep at best quality 2 to 5 years if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.


• While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods. NEVER USE food from containers that show possible "botulism" warnings: leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. DON'T TASTE SUCH FOOD! Even a minuscule amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly.


• Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.

(Sources/Additional Information: Meat Packaging Materials; Food Safety for Persons With AIDS)