No matter how many times we read it, information on food safety in the home is still worth our attention. Our health depends on it. Besides, we’re not always as smart about what’s safe as we think we are. If you don’t believe it, take the accompanying quiz.
Here is a guide to help you follow safe procedures.
Storing it
Probably the most common questions from readers are about food storage: How long will it keep? Where do I keep it? What temperature? How do I know if it’s bad?
Most storage problems arise with meat, poultry and fish, all of which are good protein sources and thus prime environments for disease-causing microbes such as salmonella, botulinium and the dreaded E. coli 0157:H7.
“If you are going to use the fresh meat today or tomorrow, refrigerate it in its original packaging,” says Susan Brewer, associate professor of science and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. To avoid contamination, she says, handle the product as little as possible.
Poultry, ground meat and fish should be stored only two days in the refrigerator; other meats will keep three or four. If you need to store it longer, freeze it, Brewer says. And be sure to wrap another airtight layer of plastic film or aluminum foil over the original packaging, which may be porous.
The meat itself will keep indefinitely in a tight, cold freezer, and pathogens won’t multiply. But eventually oxygen will reach the fat and slowly cause it to go rancid, Brewer says. “This takes awhile, but the more airtight, the better.”
Whole meats usually are good for six months when frozen; fish, poultry and ground beef for three.
The freezer can’t be expected to kill all bacteria, so if the meat was contaminated going in, it still will be when it thaws. Also, thawed food is more susceptible to bacterial growth because the food’s cell walls have ruptured, providing plenty of moisture.
“That”‘ another reason thawing should be done in the refrigerator,” says Brewer, who wrote a Cooperative Extension Service booklet, “Food Storage, Food Spoilage and Foodborne Illness.”
Keeping produce at its peak
For fresh produce the story is different.
Fruits and vegetables have more acid and less protein than meats, so they aren’t as likely to habor the kinds of bacteria that will sicken people, Brewer says. They can be stored at room temperature because their skins pro- vide good protection as long as they are not cut or bruised.
However, most produce continues to ripen quickly at room temperature, so decay and mold probably will set in before any virus or bacteria can get started. Refrigeration postpones this spoilage.
Once fruits and vegetables are cut or damaged, they are open to contamination, even from yeasts in the air, Brewer says.
“For instance, if you leave sliced strawberries out overnight, you’ll have strawberry wine in the morning, though it probably won’t be something you’d want to drink,” she says.
If you find something growing on any food–mold, in other words–toss it out, she says, whether it has been refrigerated or not. “Don’t try to cut it off.”
Molds put down microscopic, often invisible roots, she says. Many molds contain mycotoxins that eventually can cause health problems. “You have to assume they are there.”
Although eating a piece of moldy food may not make you sick immediately, the mycotoxins can accumulate. In population studies, molds have been associated with liver disease.
“If you want to see this in action, find a jar of jelly with mold on the top. Then hold it up to the light, and you will see the tendrils the mold puts down into the jelly,” she says.
The one exception to the mold rule is hard cheeses–but not soft ones. To save hard cheese, such as ungrated Parmesan or Pecarino, cut off the mold plus 1 inch, she says. Throw away moldy soft cheese, such as gouda, Monterey Jack or brie.
Roach relief
What about roaches and other creatures that sometimes invade stored food?
No one likes roaches, Brewer says, and with good reason. Roaches not only are repulsive, they also carry bacteria, disease and dirt that they pick up from hanging out in sewers and damp plumbing.
Taking care of them is a sanitation problem. Clean up spills and crumbs, and keep counters and floors dry. Sometimes it’s a battle that can’t be won, only contained, she says.
Packing foods in roachproof containers helps, as do roach traps. Food infested with roaches should be discarded.
On the other hand, some common, tinier bugs–the vermin that chew their way through rice, flour and other grains are not dangerous, just unsightly Brewer says.
Retail grain products are cleaned, hulled, and polished, but they aren’t necessarily sterilized. Little worms get in, eat and lay eggs, which hatch at warm temperatures.
These bugs also have no qualms about migrating from the box of rice to the tabbouleh to the corn meal. They can chew through cardboard, wax paper and even plastic film.
By the time you find them–when they’ve evolved into mini-moths circling your flour canister–you’ve got an infestation requiring a major cleanup. If you don’t want to throw everything away, keeping products in the freezer 48 hours will deactivate any eggs. Of course you also can store your rice, flour or cornmeal in the freezer permanently, if you have the room.
Another preventive measure is using rigid, airtight containers and keeping a constant vigil, Brewer says.
Keeping leftovers
Airtight containers, especially the Tupperware or Rubbermaid types, also are ideal for storing leftovers.
Any cooked food should never be out of the refrigerator longer than two hours one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees, Brewer says. That includes time spent doing errands on the way home while the Styrofoam carton of fettuccine Alfredo sits on the car seat.
Three to four days is probably the limit for storing the fridge, particularly if they are mixed foods such as macaroni and cheese. Let your nose and eyes be a guide, since it’s the mold that usually gets going first, Brewer says.
If too much time hasn’t passed and everything looks good, reheat leftovers to at least 165 degrees, particularly if they ar e protein-rich and previously cooked.
Well-wrapped foods can be stored in the freezer indefinitely without compromising their safety. But their quality will deteriorate. After a while many will dry out: Even ice cream can age.
A traditional and reliable way to store foods is in cans, and some canned goods have been discovered intact after more than 50 years. But if a can is swollen, punctured or badly rusted, its contents may be unsafe.
After a year or more on the shelf, the flavor and texture of many securely canned foods start to go downhill, though they are not dangerous.
Finally, do the dishes immediately, if possible.
Good dishwashers heat the rinse water to scalding. But it’s still important to use detergent and to rinse off caked food.
Food residue neutralizes the dish soaps, so food that doesn’t come off can still harbor bacteria and germs, Brewer says. If you’re cleaning pans and dishes in the sink, use plenty of detergent, rinse thoroughly in hot water (140 degrees or hotter is ideal) and drip-dry or dry with a clean towel. Towels, sponges and other equipment can support bacteria, so be sure they are clean as well, particularly a sponge that has been used to sop up juices from raw poultry, fish or meat.
Food safcty is not a task if you make it a habit, says Brewer. The benefits of taking a little care far out weight the risks of not.
PLASTIC OR WOOD?
Which material makes the safest cutting board?
Plastic and wooden cutting boards work fine for chopping meat, vegetables and fruit, and both must be sanitized after contact with raw meat. But for some reason bacteria have a tougher time surviving on wooden boards.
Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has shown that pathogenic bacteria, such as the salmonella often found in raw chicken, will thrive and multiply if not removed from plastic boards, says Dean O. Cliver, professor of microbiology at the university.
On wooden boards, whether they are new or have seen years of use, the bacteria die off within three minutes, even when they are present in huge numbers, researchers found.
Researchers theorize that the porous surface of the wooden boards deprives the bacteria of water, causing them to die.
That may be the reason wood has been used successfully as a cutting surface for centuries.
Whichever you use, clean it frequently with hot soapy water, Cliver says. And a quick spray with a solution of water and bleach offers added protection.
Spray it safe
Several commercial sprays advertise that they will keep your kitchen germ-free, but you can make your own more cheaply.
Mix 2 tablespoons of liquid chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water in a clean spray bottle, such as those used for window cleaners or grease removers.
Spray cutting surfaces, stove tops, refrigerator shelves or other places where pathogens might congregate. If necessary wipe afterward with a clean paper towel.
HOW MUCH FOOD SAFETY IS ENOUGH
“It’s probably a credit to our immune systems that we don’t get Sick more often,” says Susan Brewer, food science professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Even though we probabably aren’t as cautious as we could be in guarding against food contamination and pathogens, most of us don’t get poisoned by food.
But some people are more susceptibie to disease and discomfort, especially those who are very young, very old or stricken with other diseases. Particular1y vulnerable are those with darnaged immune systerns.
If such people are in your home, you need to take more precautions to prevent contact with possible pathogens. That includes keeping cups and silverware, countertops and even refrigerator doors and stove controls sanitized and germ-free. Using disposable cups in the bathroom is a good idea.
It takes only a few bacteria to infect a person with poor immunity, so even drinking water can present a threat, and care should be taken not to transfer bacteria from one person to another by using the same utensils or even eating from the same bowl.
Handy phone numbers
Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultly Hot Line: 800-535-4555;(for general information, call 202-720-2791).
Food and Drug Administration’s Seafood Hot Line: 800-332-4010.
FDA Office of Consumer Affairs: 301-443-3170.
Consumer Nutrition Hot Line of the American Dietetic Association: 800-366-1655.
TAKE SOME ADVICE FORM THE BIG GUYS
Home cooks can take some cues on food safety from food companies. Many of them use a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program to monitor spots where contaminabon is most likely to occur. Here are some critical control points you can watch:
Shopping
– Keep raw meat and poultry separate from each other and from other foods, particularly those to be eaten without further cooking.
– Buy precooked foods only if the packaging is sound.
– Buy products labeled “Keep refrigerated” only if they are in a refrigerated case.
– Buy unpackaged, refrigerated deli meats or fish only if they have not been in contact with other foods.
– Serve reheat, refrigerate or freeze cooked foods within two hours, or within one hour in temperatures above 90 degrees.
Home storage
– Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods, particularly those that will be eaten without further cooking.
– If the refrigerator fails, keep the door closed. Cook questionable products within a few hours or discard them.
– If the freezer fails, keep the door closed. Refreeze meat or poultry within one or two days if it still has ice crystals. Vegetables and other foods that have thawed may be refrozen, but they should not remain at room temperature more than an hour.
Preparation
– Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Repeat after handling meat or poultry, touching animals or using the bathroom.
– Don’t allow juices from raw meat or poultry to contact any other foods. Wash hands, equipment, counter and utensils with soap and water immediately after use.
– Thaw food in refrigerator, under cold water changed every 30 minutes or in microwave oven (followed by immediate cooking).
– Stuff raw products, such as turkey, just before cooking.
– Use a meat thermometer to judge safe internal temperatures (160 degrees for meat, 180 degrees for poultry, according to the USDA).
– In microwave oven, rotate food dunng cooking and let it stand the recommended bme before serving.
Serving
– Wash hands before serving or eating. Use clean plates and utensils.
– Hold hot foods at 140 degrees.
– Leave cooked food out no longer than two hours; one hour if temperatures are 90 degrees or warmer.
Leftovers
– Remove stuffing before recooking or freezing.
– Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in small, covered containers within the hours of cooking
– Avoid tasting leftovers to detemmine safety.
– Reheat leftovers thoroughly: a rolling boil for wet foods, at least 165 degrees for all others.
– When in doubt, throw it out. Discard any questionable or outdated foods in the garbage disposal or tightly wrapped in a garbage can so they will not be consumed by animals or people.
SAFETY FIRST
How much do you know about keeping the food you prepare free from bacteria and spoilage? Take the quiz here, then turn to the centerspread for the answers and more information worth knowing.
1. True or false
It’s safe to hold food at room tempreature two or three hours.
2. Which is least likely to increase your risk of food poisoning when added to a dish?
a. tuna
b. chicken
c. salami
d. mayonnaise
3. Which are the safest options for handling leftover thawed, raw hamburger?
a. throw meat away
b. refreeze the raw hamburger
c. keep the meat wrapped and refrigerated and cook within five to seven days
d. cook the meat first then wrap and freeze
4. True or false
Raw seafood poses little risk of food poisoning.
5. How long can unopened processed meats like hot dogs and luncheon meats be refrigerated?
a. three to four days
b. five to seven days
c. two weeks
d. three to four weeks
QUIZ ANSWERS:
1. False. Bacteria multiply quick- 7/8Iy in food at room temperature (60 to 90 degrees). After two hours, there may be enough organisms to make you ill. Keep hot food hot labove 140 degrees) and cold food cold (below 40 degrees).
2. d. Most commercia!ly prepared mayonnaise contains acid and salt, which slow bacterial growth. It is the protein-rich meat, poultry or fish often mixed with mayonnaise that creates a food-safety hazard. Store all protein-rich salads or sandwich mix-tures in the refrigerator or over ice at 40 degrees or lower.
3. a, b and d. Obviously, throwing it away eliminates all risk. But you can use or freeze raw meat within one or two days of thawing. Leftover hamburger also can be cooked first, wrapped and frozen three to four months.
4. False. Eating raw or under-cooked seafood carries a significant risk of illness from viruses that are easily destroyed with proper cooking.
5. c. Vacuum-sealed packages of hot dogs and luncheon meats will keep two weeks, but never longer than one week after the sell-by date. After opening, rewrap and use hot dogs within a week; luncheon meats should be used within three to five days.
How do you rate?
4 or 5 correct: Not much gets by you when it comes to food safety. 3: You’re on the right track. Brush up on a few basics. O to 2: Well, you’ve made a start by taking this quiz.
Adapted from Environmental Nutrition Newsletter
