Food Safety is for Everyone, Module 4: Temperature Matters

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