Food Safety is for Everyone
Module Four
Written and developed by:Lorraine Harley, Family and Consumer Sciences EducatorUniversity of Maryland ExtensionCalvert/Charles/St Mary’s Counties
Equal Access Programs
Copyright 2010 by Lorraine Harley, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator
University of Maryland Extension
Module 4
Temperature
Matters
Copyright 2010 by Lorraine Harley, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator,
University of Maryland Extension
Temperature matters:
Proper:Thermometer useCookingCoolingThawingReheating Hot holding
40°
140°
Why use a food thermometer?
To confirm safe minimum internal food temperatures to prevent foodborne illness
“It’s Safe to Bite When the Temperature is Right”
Which burger is safe to eat?
Which burger did you pick?
Temperature matters!
How to use a food thermometer
Ground beef, veal & lamb
160 °F
Temperature Matters!
Beef, Veal, Lamb Steaks and Roasts
145 °F
Fish
145 °F
Temperature Matters!
Turkey, Chicken & Duck Whole, (pieces & ground)
165 °F
Fresh ham
Raw
160°F
Fully cooked ham
To reheat:
140°F
Temperature Matters!
All egg dishes and leftovers:
165 °F
Safety
Versus
Doneness
Refrigerator/freezer temperatures
Refrigerator 40° or slightly below
Freezer 0° F
Myoglobin in meat
Is a protein found in the muscle fibers of meat, poultry and seafood.
Are color changes in meat normal?
Thawing food safely
When was the last time you thawed food?
What method did you use
Thawing food safely continued…
There are 3 safe ways to thaw food safely:
In the refrigerator In the microwave or In a tub or pot of cold water
Thawing food safely Continued…
Gee, I think I changed my mind. I don’t want to eat the food I just thawed out.
Can I re-freeze the food??
Keep cold foods cold
40°F or below
Hot holding: keep hot foods hot
Remember the
2 hour rule
140° or above
Reheating foods safely
MicrowaveStove topOven
Microwave cooking
Microwave cooking does not always provide even heating.
After defrosting in a microwave, always cook foods immediately
Cooling foods down
Do not overfill the refrigerator
Break large pots into shallow containers
Break down large pieces of meat and turkey
Let’s go shopping…again
Always purchase non-perishable items first
Frozen foods
Always purchase frozen items after non-perishable items
Dented cans
Do not buy dented cans!
Packaging
Never buy meat, poultry or other foods in torn packaging.
What types of foods are dated?
Dates are found mostly on perishable foods such as:
Meat Poultry Eggs Dairy products
Federal law and dating requirements:
Only required on infant formula and some baby food.
Types of food dating:
“Sell-By”“Best if used By”“Use-By” “Closed or coded dates”
“Sell-by”
Informs the store how long to display the product for sale
Always buy the item before the “Sell-By” date
“Best if used by”
This date is recommended for the best flavor or quality of a product
It is not a purchase or safety date
“Use-by”
This date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality
The manufacturer determines this date
Canned food
May have “open” dates (calendar)
High-acid- 12 to 18 months (grapefruit, tomatoes)
Low acid- 2-5 years (meats, fish,poultry, most vegetables
Only if can is in good condition/stored in a clean, cool dry place
Copyright 2010 by Lorraine Harley, Asssitant Professor,
University of Maryland Extension
“Closed or coded dates”
This date refers to packing numbers for use by the manufacturer
Expiration dates
If the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe and of good quality if it is handled properly and stored at 40° F or below
Cleaning the refrigerator
Follow the manufacturer’s
instructions
Wipe up spills
Chose cleaners carefully
Weekly toss out
Cleaning the refrigerator continued…
Cooked leftovers—4 days Raw poultry; ground meats—1-2 days Keep odors down- baking soda
Clean refrigerator coils When in doubt toss it out!!
Refrigerator odors
Equal vinegar and water Solution of baking soda and water. Air
dry Rolled newspaper—then vinegar and
water
(Procedures may have to be repeated)
Refrigerator odors Continued…
Coffee grounds—baking soda-several days—several days
Freezer—cotton swab—vanilla—24 hours
Commercial product
(Procedures may have to be repeated)
Summer time
Does foodborne illness peak in the Summer?
What can we do during summer months?
Clean
Separate
Cook
Chill
Egg storage
Raw eggs in shell:• Refrigerate: 3 to 5 weeks• Freeze: after opening egg and beating white and
yolk together.
Raw egg white:• Refrigerate: 2 to 4 days• Freeze: 12 months
Egg storage
Raw egg yolks:• Refrigerate: 2 to 4 days• Freeze: Yolks do not freeze well.
Raw egg frozen accidentally in shell:• Refrigerate: use immediately when thawed.• Freeze: when ready to use, refrigerate to thaw.
Egg substitutes
Liquid egg substitutes (unopened):• Refrigerate: 10 days• Freeze: 12 months
Liquid Egg Substitutes (opened)• Refrigerate 3 days• Never freeze
Hard cooked eggs
Hard cooked eggs:• Refrigerate: 7 days• Never freeze
Freezer storage:
Once a perishable food item is frozen, before the date expires, it does not matter if the date expires while the food is frozen; foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely
Freezer facts: wrap-date-FIFO
Preventing freezer burn
Special topics
Thunderstorms Mercury and Methylmercury Bisphenal A (BPA’s) Keeping baby safe
Thunderstorms
The refrigerator
The freezer
Fish, Shellfish and…
MercuryMethylmercury
Do Not Eat:Swordfish
Shark
Tilefish
King mackerel
Fish lower in methylmercury and…
Most commonly eaten are: Shrimp Canned light tuna Salmon Pollock Catfish
Bisphenol A (BPAs)
Bisphenol A is a plastic chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic products:
Water bottles Baby bottles Canned foods (lining of metal food cans) Food storage and heating containers Some children’s toys
Possible effects of BPA:(Found in animal studies only)
Miscarriage Obesity Altered brain development and behavior Altered immune system Prostate/breast cancer Early onset of puberty Lowered sperm count Hyperactivity
To minimize exposure to BPA’s
Limit your intake of canned foods Avoid polycarbonate plastic (usually #7)
Use glass baby bottles or:– Polypropylene– Polyethylene
To minimize exposure to BPA’s
Use powdered baby formulas (non-steel cans)
Heat foods in ceramic or glass containers.
BPA’s…
Look for BPA free plastic containers
FDA assessment of BPA
As of January 2010:
The FDA supports the industry’s actions to stop producing BPA-containing bottles and infant feeding cups for the U. S. market.
Food Safety
Keeping Baby Safe
What can I do to keep my baby safe?
Follow the manufacture’s recommendations …
Observe the “use-by” dates
Check commercial baby food jar lids
What can I do to keep my baby safe? Continued…
When traveling with the baby, use insulated coolers or gel packs to transport bottles and food
Place the ice chest in the passenger
compartment of the car. It is cooler than the trunk
DO Not
Make more formula than you need
Put a bottle back into the refrigerator if the baby does not finish it
Do Not
Feed a baby from a jar of baby food and then place it back in the refrigerator
Do Not
Serve raw or unpasteurized milk, fruit or vegetable juice to infants or young children
Leave formula out at room temperature for more than 2 hours
Place dirty diapers in the same bag with bottles or food
Two methods to heat breast milk or formula
In hot tap water (1 -2 minutes)
On the stove:
• Heat water in a pan• Remove the pan from the heat and
place the bottle in the pan until warm
Food safety policy
House proposes new
food safety laws
FIGHT BAC!
CLEAN Wash hands and surfaces often
SEPARATEDon’t cross contaminate
COOKCook to proper temperatures
CHILLRefrigerate promptly
Copyright 2010 by Lorraine Harley, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator
University of Maryland Extension
To learn more: www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Be_Smart_Keep_Foods_Apart/
index.asp
http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_report_detail.aspx?id=58821
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/refrigeration_&_food_safety/index.asp
http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/eggstorage.html
Copyright 2010 by Lorraine Harley, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator
University of Maryland Extension