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Food for Thought...
How to Keep Summer Foods Fresh and Safe!
(ARA) – Summer
is the season to be outdoors with friends and family at picnics, barbecues and
many other events. But the warm weather also brings an increase in foodborne
illnesses when food sits out in hot, humid conditions. Make sure your summer
party is memorable for reasons other than food poisoning by taking steps to keep
food fresh and safe.
Dr. Cla...udia
Fajardo-Lira, spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists, says most
foodborne bacteria thrive in summer’s steamy conditions. “It’s critical to
protect yourself and your family from foodborne illness like E. coli and
salmonella,” she says. “Always remember to wash your hands and, if you don’t
have running water, bring along a water jug, some soap and paper towels; or use
hand sanitizer.”
Fajardo-Lira suggests following food safety steps
recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:
Get Food Safely
to its Destination
Keep cold food cold and stored at 40 F or below to
prevent the growth of bacteria. Use a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs and
limit the number of times you open the cooler.
Pack beverages and
perishable foods in separate coolers.
Keep raw meat, seafood and poultry
wrapped securely to keep juices from contaminating other foods.
Rinse all
fresh fruits and vegetables under running water before packing and eating.
Grill to Perfection
Never marinate foods outdoors or on a kitchen counter.
Always marinate in the refrigerator. Do not reuse marinade that has touched raw
meat.
Cook food thoroughly and use a food thermometer to ensure proper
temperature. Steaks and fish should reach 145 F, pork 160 F and poultry and
hamburgers 165 F.
Shellfish should be closed tightly before cooking and
cooked until their shells open.
Keep hot food hot by moving finished meats
to the side of the grill rack, away from the coals.
Do not reuse platters
or utensils that have touched raw meat, poultry or seafood.
Keep Food Out
of the “Danger Zone”
Never let your picnic food sit outside in temperatures
between 40 F and 90 F for more than two hours. When temperatures are above 90 F,
food should not sit out for more than one hour. Discard any food that has been
left out for a longer time.
Perishable foods can be placed on ice or in a
shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice.
Wrap hot food well and
place in an insulated container until serving.
-- Courtesy of
ARAcontent
For more information, visit fightbac.org.
Pantry
Foods 101
Pantry foods are a convenient and inexpensive way to offer your
family nutritious meals. However, like fresh foods, pantry foods do have limits
on storage and quality.
First of all, quality is not the same as safety.
Quality of a food affects the texture or taste like stale cereal. Safety of a
food can affect quality in terms of appearance and taste, but have an unsafe
level of something harmful, like pathogenic bacteria. For example, damaged or
improperly canned food may contain Clostridium botulinum (which causes
botulism) therefore making the food unsafe. It is possible that foods might
have changes in quality but still be safe; alternatively, foods may have
dangerous levels of a pathogen or toxin and not appear visually to have a
problem.
Food manufacturers often help assure quality by listing
product dating most products. Note that this practice is not mandatory. The most
commonly product dating terms are:
A "Sell-By" date tells the store how
long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date
expires.
A "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is recommended for best
flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
A "Use-By" date is
the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The
date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
In general,
for the best quality, high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and
pineapple can be stored up to 18 months; low-acid canned foods like meat,
poultry, fish and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years — if the can is in good
condition and is stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
Take Home Tips
Purchase the product before the date expires.
Use the first in, first out
rule of thumb. Use the oldest products first and the newest products later.
Always place the newly purchased products in back of the same products, but also
check expiration/use by dates.
Storage cabinets should be cool and dry.
High temperature or humidity may reduce storage time.
Insect
infestation can occur in any home. Avoid purchasing damaged packages of food and
keep cupboard shelves clean. Storing foods in tightly sealed glass, metal or
rigid plastic containers may help.
Storing pantry foods might be safe
beyond recommended dates, but the quality (flavor and texture) and
nutritive value will decrease.
Foods can develop an off odor; flavor or
appearance due to spoilage bacteria or chemical reactions and you should not use
it for quality reasons.
NEVER use food from leaking, bulging, rusting,
badly dented, cracked jars, or any container that spurts when liquid when
opening. Throw those products out immediately.
(ARA) – Summer
is the season to be outdoors with friends and family at picnics, barbecues and
many other events. But the warm weather also brings an increase in foodborne
illnesses when food sits out in hot, humid conditions. Make sure your summer
party is memorable for reasons other than food poisoning by taking steps to keep
food fresh and safe.
Dr. Cla...udia
Fajardo-Lira, spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists, says most
foodborne bacteria thrive in summer’s steamy conditions. “It’s critical to
protect yourself and your family from foodborne illness like E. coli and
salmonella,” she says. “Always remember to wash your hands and, if you don’t
have running water, bring along a water jug, some soap and paper towels; or use
hand sanitizer.”
Fajardo-Lira suggests following food safety steps
recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:
Get Food Safely
to its Destination
Keep cold food cold and stored at 40 F or below to
prevent the growth of bacteria. Use a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs and
limit the number of times you open the cooler.
Pack beverages and
perishable foods in separate coolers.
Keep raw meat, seafood and poultry
wrapped securely to keep juices from contaminating other foods.
Rinse all
fresh fruits and vegetables under running water before packing and eating.
Grill to Perfection
Never marinate foods outdoors or on a kitchen counter.
Always marinate in the refrigerator. Do not reuse marinade that has touched raw
meat.
Cook food thoroughly and use a food thermometer to ensure proper
temperature. Steaks and fish should reach 145 F, pork 160 F and poultry and
hamburgers 165 F.
Shellfish should be closed tightly before cooking and
cooked until their shells open.
Keep hot food hot by moving finished meats
to the side of the grill rack, away from the coals.
Do not reuse platters
or utensils that have touched raw meat, poultry or seafood.
Keep Food Out
of the “Danger Zone”
Never let your picnic food sit outside in temperatures
between 40 F and 90 F for more than two hours. When temperatures are above 90 F,
food should not sit out for more than one hour. Discard any food that has been
left out for a longer time.
Perishable foods can be placed on ice or in a
shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice.
Wrap hot food well and
place in an insulated container until serving.
-- Courtesy of
ARAcontent
For more information, visit fightbac.org.
Pantry
Foods 101
Pantry foods are a convenient and inexpensive way to offer your
family nutritious meals. However, like fresh foods, pantry foods do have limits
on storage and quality.
First of all, quality is not the same as safety.
Quality of a food affects the texture or taste like stale cereal. Safety of a
food can affect quality in terms of appearance and taste, but have an unsafe
level of something harmful, like pathogenic bacteria. For example, damaged or
improperly canned food may contain Clostridium botulinum (which causes
botulism) therefore making the food unsafe. It is possible that foods might
have changes in quality but still be safe; alternatively, foods may have
dangerous levels of a pathogen or toxin and not appear visually to have a
problem.
Food manufacturers often help assure quality by listing
product dating most products. Note that this practice is not mandatory. The most
commonly product dating terms are:
A "Sell-By" date tells the store how
long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date
expires.
A "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is recommended for best
flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
A "Use-By" date is
the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The
date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
In general,
for the best quality, high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and
pineapple can be stored up to 18 months; low-acid canned foods like meat,
poultry, fish and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years — if the can is in good
condition and is stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
Take Home Tips
Purchase the product before the date expires.
Use the first in, first out
rule of thumb. Use the oldest products first and the newest products later.
Always place the newly purchased products in back of the same products, but also
check expiration/use by dates.
Storage cabinets should be cool and dry.
High temperature or humidity may reduce storage time.
Insect
infestation can occur in any home. Avoid purchasing damaged packages of food and
keep cupboard shelves clean. Storing foods in tightly sealed glass, metal or
rigid plastic containers may help.
Storing pantry foods might be safe
beyond recommended dates, but the quality (flavor and texture) and
nutritive value will decrease.
Foods can develop an off odor; flavor or
appearance due to spoilage bacteria or chemical reactions and you should not use
it for quality reasons.
NEVER use food from leaking, bulging, rusting,
badly dented, cracked jars, or any container that spurts when liquid when
opening. Throw those products out immediately.
