Summer picnics may have come to an end, but the need to keep our foods safe for consumption knows no season. Foodborne illness claims the lives of 3,000 Americans each year. You may wonder how this can be, given that we live in such a technologically advanced world.
It is a combination of conditions including foods not being cooked to safe temperatures, leaving food out for too long at unsafe temperatures, and the rapidity with which bacteria can multiply between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F (called the “Danger Zone”). Among the most common pathogens (a bacterium, virus or other micro-organism that can cause disease) are Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, norovirus, and Staphylococcus.
What can each household do to prevent an unwanted occurrence of foodborne illness?
Practice the 4 strategies to keeping your foods safe! Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.
Clean– start with always washing your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds. Sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice. Hum it if you prefer. Keep all food prep surfaces clean and sanitize your counter tops after preparing raw meats, poultry, and seafood. Wash your fruits and vegetables under cold running water, even produce that you peel.
Separate– this starts as you place groceries in the shopping cart. Keep raw meats and eggs separate from produce and place them away from all other items in the cart. Use bags, if provided, to cover your packages of raw meats. Refrigerate your perishable items as soon as you get home. Use separate cutting boards at home for produce and raw meats.
Cook– use reliable thermometers to check for temperature. The feel of a meat or the color of its juice is not a reliable indicator of doneness. If you are using a probe thermometer, check to see if it is calibratable. A reference for how to calibrate your probe thermometer is at the end of this article. This should be done periodically to ensure accuracy. You can also test the accuracy of a digital instant read thermometer the same way. Some of them can be reset for accuracy.
Chill– Keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees F and your freezer at or below 0 degrees F. When cooling large batches of food such as deep casseroles, stews, and soups, transfer them into shallow pans for more rapid cooling. The bottom shelf of your refrigerator is usually the coolest, so keep perishables on that shelf and remember to place raw meats/poultry/seafood on a plate to catch any juices.
For more information on food safety, check out your local Cornell Cooperative Extension resources and visit foodsafety.gov for advice on cold food storage, safe minimal internal temperature charts and food safety for holidays and special events.
One household at a time, let’s work together to reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses.
For more information on kitchen thermometers go to: Kitchen Thermometers | Food Safety and Inspection Service (usda.gov)
By Diane M. Ford, Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County
