The Summertime Rules
Your refrigerator should be maintaining 37 - 40 degrees F all year. During
the summer months you may need to lower the temperature setting. So how
can you find out the internal temperature of your refrigerator? Invest
in a refrigerator/freezer thermometer. Thermometers can be purchased cheaply
in the housewares section of your supermarket. It is a very good investment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)
5 Year Report of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks, improper holding temperature
was the most commonly reported food preparation practice that contributed
to illness. Keeping hot food hot and cold food cold becomes even more
important during the summer months.
In the summertime foods can quickly reach the "danger zone." If food
is in the "danger zone" it is between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F
which is where bacteria multiply quite rapidly. Remember, bacteria that
cause foodborne illness do not change the taste or appearance of food.
It is more important than ever to be sure food is handled properly and
does not remain in the "danger zone" for more than 2 hours.
According to the CDC report, Salmonella caused 69 percent of all bacterial
outbreaks. Salmonella also caused more deaths than any other pathogen.
These bacteria are most often associated with eggs, poultry products
and all raw foods of animal origin.
Errors during food shopping, transport, preparation, serving or storage
can enable bacteria to grow. Salmonella food poisoning is caused by
the ingestion of live bacteria. Proper handling and cooking can eliminate
most problems.
- When shopping for raw and cooked foods make sure it is has been
stored properly before you make a purchase. This includes foods from
street vendors at community events.
- Prevent cross-contamination. Keep raw products from contaminating
other products. Never let raw meat and poultry, or their juices, come
in contact with cooked meat or any other food -- raw or cooked.
- Wash cutting boards, knives, counter and other utensils thoroughly
with detergent and hot water immediately after you use them with raw
meat and poultry products.
According to the CDC, the second most commonly reported practice contributing
to foodborne illness concerned poor personal hygiene among food handlers.
- Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds. Using soap and
hot water, slowly count backwards from 20 as you wash your hands.
Make sure you wash your hands after you use the bathroom, before you
start food preparation and before you serve food to others. For picnics,
pack clean towels and spray bottles of soapy water for cleaning surfaces
and hands.
- Cook it! Cook poultry to 180 degrees F and beef or pork to at least
160 degrees F. Never put cooked meat back on the platter where raw
meat was held.
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness when grilling. If the meat
is too thin, follow the recipe and cook until juices run clear.
- Cool it! Refrigerate raw meat and poultry as soon as possible. Transport
and store it in a cooler with ice.
For more information on safe food handling, call the USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline 1-800-535-4555 or visit the Consumer Information and Education
web site at: http://www.usda.gov./fsis
or visit the CDC's home page for the summary of the 5 Year Report on Foodborne
Illness Outbreaks 1988-92, accesses the Bacterial Disease/Foodborne Diarrheal
Diseases Section: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/foodborn.htm.
Early Summer 1997
Watering Lawns Properly | 1997
Perennial Plant of the Year - Salvia 'May Night' | Shrub
of the Month - Butterfly Bush | Garden
Myths | Basics of Fertilizing Houseplants
| Cybergarden Sites | Bug
Bites | Lawn Care Calendar
| Hort Shorts | Hort
Tips | Food Safety: The Summertime
Rules | Healthy Cooking: All Vegetables
Are Not Created Equal | Locally
Grown: The Best Is Yet to Come | Health
Update: First Aid Kit To Go | Health
& Household Tips | Did You
Know?
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