Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate the food YOUR FAMILY eats? Do you know how to tell if your food is THOROUGHLY cooked to keep YOUR family safe from Food Poisoning? Do you know what to do if you or SOMEONE YOU LOVE gets Food Poisoning?
When it comes to food preparation and storage, "Common Practices" could be POISONING your family!
Here's how to avoid the problem entirely:
1. Plan For Safety
Make sure you have the right equipment, including cutting boards, utensils, food thermometers, cookware, shallow containers for storage, soap, and paper towels. Make sure you have a source of clean water. Plan ahead to ensure that there will be adequate storage space in the refrigerator and freezer.
2. Shop Smart
Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the supermarket. Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Buy cans and jars that look perfect. Do the cans have dents? Don't buy canned goods that are dented, cracked, or bulging. These are the warning signs that dangerous bacteria may be growing in the can. Are the jars cracked? Do they have lids that are loose or bulging? The food may have germs that can make you sick. Look for any expiration dates on the labels and never buy outdated food. Likewise, check the "use by" or "sell by" date on dairy products such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, and sour cream and pick the ones that will stay fresh longest in your refrigerator.
3. Store Food Properly
After shopping, get home as soon as you can. Then put food into the refrigerator or freezer right away. Make sure to set the refrigerator temperature to 40° F and the freezer to 0° F. Check temperatures with an appliance thermometer. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours of shopping or preparing. Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in containers in the refrigerator, to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. Raw juices may contain harmful bacteria. Eggs always go in the refrigerator.
4. Prepare Food Safely
Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils and counter tops. To prevent this, wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets. Wash everything else before and after it touches food. Use paper towels or clean cloths to wipe kitchen surfaces or spills. Wash cloths before you use them again for anything else. Use the hot cycle of your washing machine. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. A solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water may be used to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils.
5. Cook Food Thoroughly
Cook food thoroughly until it is done. Cooked red meat looks brown inside. Poke cooked chicken with a fork. The juices should look clear, not pink. Dig a fork into cooked fish. The fish should flake. Cooked egg whites and yolks are firm, not runny. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles and other food. Use a thermometer with a small-diameter stem. Insert the thermometer 1 to 2 inches into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to ensure an accurate measurement. Check temperature in several places to be sure the food is evenly heated.
6. Chill Food Promptly
Place food in the refrigerator. Don't overfill the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe. Divide food and place in shallow containers. Slice roast beef or ham and layer in containers in portions for service. Divide turkey into smaller portions or slices & refrigerate. Remove stuffing from cavity before refrigeration. Place soups or stews in shallow containers. To cool quickly, place in ice water bath and stir. Cover and label cooked foods. Include the preparation date on the label.
7. Transport Food Safely
Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels. Use plenty of ice or commercial freezing gels. Cold food should be held at or below 40° F. Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140° F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.
8. Reheat Food Correctly
Heat cooked, commercially vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat foods, such as hams and roasts, to 140° F. Foods that have been cooked ahead & cooled should be reheated to at least 165° F. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165° F. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.
9. Serve Food The Safe Way
Use clean containers and utensils to store and serve food. When a dish is empty or nearly empty, replace with fresh container of food, removing the previous container. Place cold food in containers on some ice. Hold cold foods at or below 40° F. Food that will be portioned and served should be placed in a shallow container. Place the container inside a deep pan filled partially with ice to keep food cold. Once food is thoroughly heated on stovetop, oven or in microwave oven, keep food hot by using a heat source. Place food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays and/or slow cookers. Check the temperature frequently to be sure food stays at or above 140° F.
10. Complete Your Meal Experience Safely
Cooked foods should not be left standing on the table or kitchen counter for more than 2 hours. Disease-causing bacteria grow in temperatures between 40° F and 140° F. Cooked foods that have been in this temperature range for more than 2 hours should not be eaten. If a dish is to be served hot, get it from the stove to the table as quickly as possible. Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of at least 165° F. Keep cold foods in the refrigerator or on a bed of ice until serving. This rule is particularly important to remember in the summer months. Leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Meats should be cut in slices of 3 inches or less and all foods should be stored in small, shallow containers to hasten cooling. Be sure to remove all the stuffing from roast turkey or chicken and store it separately. Giblets should also be stored separately. Leftovers should be used within 3 days. Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Terry Nicholls
My Home-Based Business Advisor
www.my-home-based-business-advisor.com
Copyright © by Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
Terry Nicholls is the author of the eBook "Food Safety: Protecting Your Family From Food Poisoning". In addition, he writes from his own experiences in trying to start his own home-based business. To benefit from his success, visit My Home-Based Business Advisor - Helping YOUR Home Business Start and Succeed for free help for YOUR home business, including ideas, startup, and expansion advice.
Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our... Read More
What should you do if you are in the middle... Read More
I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a... Read More
Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found... Read More
Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More
You just found that great recipe that you have been... Read More
Storing foods can present its own set of problems. And... Read More
Lobster has always be one of those extravagant meals which... Read More
The human body requires the intake of six types of... Read More
Okay, you've either gotten married or are planning to pretty... Read More
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More
Types of digital thermometers & their culinary uses.Thermocouple:Of all food... Read More
As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially... Read More
The secret-at least most of it-is in the rise. The... Read More
From ancient times till the nineteenth century cooking was basically... Read More
Filet mignon is French, of course, with filet meaning "thick... Read More
Here's a little known factoid - did you know that... Read More
COLFAX, WISCONSIN - June is Dairy Month and what better... Read More
Did you ever wonder why flour tastes like sawdust but... Read More
While each country might have its own preferred style, "American... Read More
We're all looking for that perfect pie, or cookies, or... Read More
Grilling on the barbecue has never been more exciting. Not... Read More
Summertime--and the living is easy! But the kitchen is hot!!... Read More
Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were made... Read More
Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More
What is Food Poisoning?Food poisoning results when you eat food... Read More
Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to... Read More
With the holidays on their way soon, many people will... Read More
Our kid birthday cake idea collection makes cake decorating fun... Read More
A lot of the times we mean to get in... Read More
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More
Food poisoning is related to unsafe food, a dirty kitchen,... Read More
Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your... Read More
As mentioned in Part 1 of the series, woks come... Read More
"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered... Read More
The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More
For over 40 years scientists have known that the fumes... Read More
In nature all animals eat living foods as yielded up... Read More
There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer... Read More
Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the... Read More
Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a... Read More
Homemade pasta cooked al dente (to the teeth), is a... Read More
The debate on ribs has ended in my home. After... Read More
You just found that great recipe that you have been... Read More
In any number of cookbooks and recipes you will find... Read More
The best way to decide what you need in your... Read More
Garlic, there's nothing like the smell of garlic. It's great... Read More
Cake pans?.the secret behind every successful cake. My husband tells... Read More
We're partial to cornbread. We like its rustic texture and... Read More
Pancakes are easy and almost foolproof. But there are some... Read More
Seasoning is the most important thing you can do to... Read More
Grilling and Barbecuing, two of the most popular cooking methods... Read More
The small refrigerator can be used in many places that... Read More
Barbecuing has long been a favorite pastime for many and... Read More
"Can I freeze it?" is a question often asked in... Read More
In the previous article, we suggested that you start a... Read More
Would you like to lose some weight -- in your... Read More
Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They... Read More
When buying apples, look for those that are firm and... Read More
Researchers have found that bacteria have a tougher time surviving... Read More
Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More
Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More
Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as... Read More
Ten Proven Tips to buy the Best Meat AvailableAs you... Read More
You might be planning a home remodeling project and it... Read More
One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread... Read More
Cooking Tips |