June 26, 2003
Food Safety Tips
Summer is upon us, bringing fun, food and festivities as we head outdoors to picnic, camp, BBQ, boat, or vacation with friends and family. Being away from home--often in hot weather--means that we need to take special precautions to keep our food safe. Please keep in mind the following food safety tips in order to ensure a safe and happy summer season.The number one rule for keeping food safe is to keep hot food hot, and cold food cold. This is especially important for meat, poultry, fish, or egg dishes which have a higher risk of containing bacteria that can make you sick. Most bacteria found on foods cannot grow if the food is kept at a temperature below 40 degrees, or above 140 degrees. After cooking meat or poultry, keep it hot until served—at 140 F or warmer. For day trips, picnics, and BBQs a cooler packed with ice can keep foods below 40 degrees. Because coolers with beverages get opened frequently, it is a good idea to have one cooler for snacks and drinks, and another for perishables.
Always use a food thermometer to be sure the food has been thoroughly cooked. Temperature is the only way to determine for sure if food has been cooked thoroughly--food color is not a reliable indicator.
According to USDA, the following temperatures should be reached during cooking:
• Whole poultry -- 180 F • Chicken breasts -- 170 F • Hamburgers made of ground beef -- 160 F • Ground poultry -- 165 F • Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts and chops -- 145 F. • Cuts of pork -- 160 F.
Remember to keep everything clean—which can be difficult when you are outside. Bacteria can easily be spread to other foods by juices dripping from packages, hands, or utensils.
• Raw meat, poultry, or fish should always be double-wrapped and secured in plastic bags to make sure their juices don’t drip onto other foods. • Hands should always be washed after handling raw meat, poultry, and fish. If you do not have access to soap and water, antibacterial wipes can also do the trick. • Do not use the same cutting board, platter, or utensils for preparing raw meat and poultry as for serving other foods because they may be contaminated with juices.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers some additional tips for keeping your food safe:
• Shop for meat and poultry last, right before checkout • Load meat, poultry and other perishables inside the car, not in the trunk. • Take the groceries home or to the picnic site immediately. If you will be traveling more than 30 minutes, pack raw meat and poultry in an ice chest. • Completely defrost meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages in cold water. Thaw in a microwave only if you are going to cook the food immediately. • Always marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
I hope these tips will help you as you enjoy another beautiful Iowa summer!
*******************
For more information you can go to www.foodsafety.gov and click on “Consumer Advice”, or call the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854); (TTY) 1-800-256-7072. The Hotline is staffed by food safety experts weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m (Eastern Time). Food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone.