Food Safety

Learning Target I can identify and demonstrate safe food handling techniques.

Estimates of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. each year: 76 million people become ill 5,000 people die

Signs and symptoms Upset stomach Vomiting Diarrhea Fever Dehydration (sometimes severe)

Possible more severe conditions Paralysis Meningitis Death

Don’t count on these to test for food safety! Sight Smell Taste

Even IF tasting would tell … Why risk getting sick? A “tiny taste” may not protect you … as few as 10 bacteria could cause some foodborne illnesses!

Why gamble with your health? It takes about ½ hour to 6 weeks to become ill from unsafe foods. You may become sick later even if you feel OK after eating.

Be a winner! Increase your odds of preventing a foodborne illness in YOUR HOME!

“Key recommendations” for food safety The 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines give five “Key Recommendations” for food safety. Source:

Clean during food preparation cutting Wash cutting boards, knives, utensils and counter tops in hot soapy water after preparing each food and before going on to the next.

Recommendation 2: SEPARATE Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods.

Use different cutting boards Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry and seafood … … and a separate one for fresh produce.

Use clean plates NEVER serve foods on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood unless the plate has first been washed in hot, soapy water.

Recommendation 3: COOK Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.

Here are the temperatures for cooking some foods …

Chicken and turkey Cook chicken and turkey (both whole birds and poultry parts, such as wings, breasts, legsand thighs, etc.) to 165°F.

Pork, egg dishes, hamburger & ground meats Cook pork, egg dishes, hamburger and ground meats to 160°F. Cook ground poultry to 165°F.

You can’t stick a thermometer into a scrambled or fried egg. Scrambled, poached, fried and hard-cooked eggs are safe when cooked so both yolks and whites are firm, not runny. How do you know when they’re done?

The ONLY way to know food has been cooked to a safe internal temperature is to use a food thermometer!

Which ground beef patty is cooked to a safe internal temperature? Source: United States Department of Agriculture/Food Safety & Inspection Service

This IS a safely cooked hamburger, cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F, even though it's pink inside. This is NOT a safely cooked hamburger. Though brown inside, it’s undercooked. Research shows some ground beef patties look done at internal temperatures as low as 135°F. Source: United States Department of Agriculture/Food Safety & Inspection Service

1 out of 4 hamburgers turns brown before it has been cooked to a safe internal temperature Source: United States Department of Agriculture/Food Safety & Inspection Service

Recommendation 4: CHILL Chill (refrigerate) perishable foods promptly and defrost foods properly.

The TWO-hour rule Refrigerate perishable foods so TOTAL time at room temperature is less than TWO hours or only ONE hour when temperature is above 90°F. Perishable foods include: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu Dairy products Pasta, rice, cooked vegetables Fresh, peeled/cut fruits and vegetables

DANGER ZONE Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 & 140°F

A multiplication quiz How many bacteria will grow from 1 BACTERIA left at room temperature 7 hours? Bacteria numbers can double in 20 minutes!

Answer: 2,097,152! Refrigerate perishable foods within TWO hours.

How to be cool – part 1 Cool food in shallow containers. Limit depth of food to 2 inches or less. Place very hot foods on a rack at room temperature for about 20 minutes before refrigeration.

Recommended refrigerator & freezer temperatures Set refrigerator at 40°F or below. Set freezer at 0°F.

The THAW LAW Plan ahead to defrost foods. The best way to thaw perishable foods is in the refrigerator.

When to leave your leftovers Refrigerated leftovers may become unsafe within 3 to 4 days. If in doubt, toss it out!

Recommendation 5: AVOID... Raw (unpasteurized) milk or milk products Raw or partially cooked eggs and foods containing raw eggs Raw and undercooked meat and poultry Unpasteurized juices Raw sprouts Raw (unpasteurized) milk or milk products Raw or partially cooked eggs and foods containing raw eggs Raw and undercooked meat and poultry Unpasteurized juices Raw sprouts Most at risk are infants, young children, pregnant women, older adults and the immunocompromised.