Keep Dairy Safe Adults Need Dairy, Too! Know the safety rules

Wow! Every year 76 million illnesses and about 5,000 deaths are linked to foodborne illness How many of you have gotten sick from something you ate? What type of symptoms did you have? Handling dairy foods safely reduces your risk of illness Source:

Today we will talk about… 4 steps to fight foodborne illness Pasteurization Storing dairy foods How to tell milk is spoiled and needs to be thrown away Tips to get dairy foods home safely How to safely take dairy foods on the go

Brainstorming What can you do to make sure to follow all “Be Food Safe” steps? 1. Clean 2. Separate 3. Cook 4. Chill Source: Discussion

Importance of Pasteurization A process that kills harmful bacteria by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time Some believe raw milk is a safe alternative, but it can contain dangers that can pose serious health risks  Salmonella, e. coli, listeria Source:

Pasteurization myths and facts Source: Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself Pasteurization DOES NOT cause lactose intolerance and allergic reactions Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value

Pasteurization myths and facts Pasteurization DOES NOT mean it is safe to leave milk out of the refrigerator for extended time, particularly after it has been opened Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria Pasteurization DOES save lives

Microbe multiplication Bacteria vary in how quickly they multiply In general, it happens quicker at room temperature and when there are more in the food to begin with Treating dairy food well will extend their shelf life and save you money

Group Activity Double trouble: microbe math Start with 1 microbe in a food. Every 20 minutes each microbe becomes 2 If your food sits out at room temperature 3 hours  1 hour: 1 doubles to 2, 2 doubles to 4, 4 doubles to 8  2 hours: 8 double to 16, 16 doubles to 32, 32 doubles to 64  3 hours: 64 doubles to 128, 128 doubles to 256, 256 doubles to 512 microbes!

Proper storage helps dairy foods last longer—saves money How cold should your refrigerator be when dairy foods are stored? Where is the best place in your refrigerator to store dairy foods? The 2 hour rule Source:

Tips for buying dairy foods Buy cartons with the furthest date Buy from a store with a high turnover Shop in the cooler parts of the day and when stores are less busy Pick up refrigerated/frozen foods last Go straight home with groceries and put them away

Keeping milk cold until you get home If the store has thick paper bags in the freezer section to help keep cold foods cold, use them Bring an ice chest to keep cold food cold Double bag cold foods Keep the cold food in the passenger part of the car with you Bag cold foods together

Tools and Tricks Dairy on the go Carry milk in an insulated mug or tumbler If there is a refrigerator at work, store dairy foods there Freeze regular yogurt to keep it cold several hours Use an ice pack or ice chest Some dairy foods make great snacks and don’t need refrigeration

Is your milk still sweet? Dates on milk cartons are “sell by” dates  Milk may be good for a couple of days after the carton date Milk can spoil before the date on the carton To check the quality of milk:  Look at the milk through the carton  Smell the milk in the carton  Pour some into a glass, smell milk in the glass  If uncertain, take a small sip (sour milk has an acid taste)

Review Today we talked about… Keeping harmful microbes out of dairy foods Choosing pasteurized dairy foods How to take dairy foods directly home from the market and refrigerate them right away Safe dairy storage including the 2 hour rule Ideas to safely bring dairy on the go How to know when it is time to throw away milk

Goals for the week Choose one or think of a goal on your own! Take home word search activity Follow the 4 steps of keeping food safe Make sure all dairy foods you have are pasteurized Check the time milk is left out of your refrigerator. Are you following the 2 hour rule? Go straight home from the grocery store Take a dairy snack on the go

Questions or Comments… “Adults Need Dairy, Too!” Is a joint project of the Cooperative Extension Services in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas and is partially funded by Southwest Dairy Farmers.