Safe Food Handling - help prevent food poisoning, by Donna Patrick, ANP
Q: How can I prevent food poisoning?
A: There are many things you can do to prevent symptoms of gastroenteritis related to food poisoning with regard to purchasing, storing , preparing, cooking and serving your food:
Do not buy already-cooked food that is stored next to raw food, even if it is stored on ice.
Do not buy food in cans that are dented, cracked, or have a bulging lid.
Make sure meat and poultry products are refrigerated when bought.
Use plastic bags to keep juices from meat and fish from touching other foods.
Store perishable items (that can go bad quickly) in the refrigerator within an hour of buying.
Keep refrigerator temperature between 32 and 40°F and freezer temperature at or below 0°F.
Freeze meat and poultry that will not be cooked within 48 hours.
Freeze tuna, bluefish and mahi-mahi that will not be cooked within 24 hours; other fish can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
Do not store eggs on the refrigerator door (since that is the warmest part of the refrigerator).
Put leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking them.
Divide leftovers into parts and store in small containers.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F before eating.
Wash hands with soap and water before cooking and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or raw eggs.
Thaw frozen meats and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, not by leaving them out.
Marinate foods in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
Avoid contact of cooked foods with forks, spoons, knives, plates, or areas that may not be clean.
Wash forks, spoons, knives, plates, and cutting areas with soap and water after they have touched raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs.
Avoid letting the juices from uncooked meat, poultry or fish touch cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw.
Carefully wash all fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid recipes that include raw eggs.
Use a meat thermometer; cook beef and lamb to an internal temperature of 145°F, pork and ground beef to 160°F, and poultry to 170 to 180°F.
Cook eggs until the yolk begins to harden.
Boil juices from raw meat or fish before using on cooked food.
Serve cooked foods on clean plates with clean forks, spoons, and knives.
Keep hot foods at 140°F and cold foods below 40°F.
Never leave foods at room temperature longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the room is hotter than 90°F.
Use coolers and ice packs to take perishable foods (that may go bad) away from home.
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