Handling foods safely is much more than throwing away expired milk or washing your fruits and vegetables. While these actions are important, there are several more common food safety mistakes that can result in major consequences, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Here are few to avoid.
Tasting food to see if it is still good: Never taste food to check if it has spoiled. You can not taste, see or even smell all bacteria that causes food poisoning. Tasting just a tiny bit of contaminated food can cause serious illness.
Putting cooked or ready-to-eat foods back on a plate that held raw meat: Never let raw meat, poultry or seafood touch cooked meat or any ready-to-eat foods, as this can cause cross-contamination. Foodborne pathogens from raw meat can easily spread to ready-to-eat foods and cause food poisoning. Always use separate plates, cutting boards and utensils to keep raw meats, poultry and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Marinating meat or seafood on the counter. Using raw meat marinade on cooked food: Never marinate meat, poultry or seafood on the counter or use the same marinade for raw meat and cooked food. If you marinate on the counter, harmful germs can multiple rapidly when in the danger zone — between 40°F and 140°F. In addition, if you use the same marinade on raw and cooked meats, the harmful bacteria from the raw food can spread to the cooked food. Always marinate raw meat, seafood and poultry in the refrigerator and only reuse marinade if you bring it to a boil just before using.
Undercooking meat, poultry, seafood or eggs: Cooked food is safe only after it has been heated to a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria. In order to avoid eating undercooked foods, you must use a food thermometer — the only way to determine if cooked foods are safe to eat. Do not rely on sight, smell or taste to tell whether your food is done.
Thawing food on the counter: Never thaw food on the counter. Harmful foodborne pathogens multiply rapidly when foods are in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F. Instead, always thaw foods in the refrigerator, cold water, or in the microwave.
Washing meat or poultry: Never wash raw meat or poultry because the water can easily spread bacteria to your sink, countertops and other kitchen surfaces. Only wash raw fruits and vegetables.
Letting food cool before putting it in the fridge: Do not leave food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours or one hour if it is over 90°F outside. Illness-causing bacteria can grow rapidly when perishable foods are left in the danger zone — between 40°F and 140°F.
Eating raw cookie dough (and other foods containing uncooked eggs and flour): Never eat any raw eggs because they may contain Salmonella or other harmful bacteria. Instead, cook eggs thoroughly and avoid foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs. Even raw dough without eggs should not be consumed since raw flour may contain E. coli and cause people to get sick.
Article released October 25, 2021
