Food Safety Mini-Lesson With your host, Gabrielle

POP QUIZ QUESTION  TRUE OR FALSE: You don’t need to wash your produce if you plan on peeling it.

FALSE.  Some bacteria can get into the edible portion during the peeling process.

Discussion.  What do you do to keep food safe in your home?

Why do we care?  Foodborne illness is a serious problem in this country.  1 in 6 gets sick from food  325,000 are hospitalized  5,000 annual deaths  Some medications weaken immune system- increasing illness chances. Source:

Interesting Foodborne Illness Facts  It could take 20 minutes-6 weeks before the symptoms occur.  More than 200 different diseases are spread through food.  Increasing world-wide.  Bagged lettuce is riskier than unbagged.  11,000 illnesses in 2008 were reported from eating raw eggs (cookie dough).

How do we stay safe?  Federal Government’s FightBac! Program  4 Principles:  CLEAN  SEPARATE  COOK  CHILL

Principle 1: Clean  Wash hands thoroughly (alphabet song) with soap and warm water.  Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, counter tops  Paper towels vs. Sponges  Rinse produce  Wash the skins with brush or hands

Principle 2: Separate  Avoid bacteria spread among foods  Keep meat and eggs away from produce in grocery cart, bags and refrigerator.  Separate cutting boards.

Handwashing Demo  Let me know when you think I’ve thoroughly washed my hands.

POP QUIZ QUESTION  TRUE OR FALSE: “Let Stand” time recommended on microwave food packages is optional. It is only there to make sure you don’t burn yourself.

FALSE.  The “stand time” on packages is necessary for the food to heat internally to a proper temperature that kills off all bacteria.

PRINCIPLE 4: CHILL  Confessional: Has anyone ever thawed their foods on the countertop?

The bacterial growth cycle.  Bacteria can double every 20 minutes at room temperature.  Meat Models Demonstration  Immediate (12:00)  12:30  1:00  2:00

Temperature Control  Keep fridge at 40F or freeze at 0F as soon as possible.  Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at room temperature, or within 1 hour in 90F+ environments.  Don’t rely on smell!

Other temperature recommendations..  3 Thawing Techniques:  In the refrigerator  In cold water  Microwave  Marinate in the fridge.  Always use shallow containers for leftover storage.  Always bring leftover liquids to a boil when reheating.  Always turn the microwaved object at least once during re-heat.  Pass around the storage times on handout.  How long do foods keep?

FoodRefrigeratorFreezer Eggs, fresh3-5 weeksDo not freeze Eggs, cooked1 weekDo not freeze Cheese (sliced)1-2 monthsDo not freeze Milk1 week3 months Soups/Stews3-4 days2-3 months Deli Salads3-5 daysDo not freeze Hot Dogs1-2 weeks1-2 months Deli Meat (opened) 3-5 days1-2 months Bacon1 week1 month Ground meats3-5 days4-12 months Poultry1-2 days9 months-1 year Leftover Meats3-4 days2-6 months Leftover pizza3-4 days1-2 months

Keep it or Toss it?

Use By vs. Sell By  Sell by: buy before this date.  Best if used by: NOT a purchase or safety date. Relates to the quality of the food’s flavor.  Use by: Last date recommended for the product to be used at peak quality.

Thanks!