Keeping Food Safe for You and Your Family

Transcription

1 Keeping Food Safe for You and Your Family Master Wellness Volunteer Program Educational programs of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating Food Safety Facts about Foodborne Illness Each Year... 1 out of every 6 people get sick 128,000 people are hospitalized 3,000 people die Billions of dollars are lost due to medical expenses and lost productivity All because of the food they ate! 1

2 Why are there so many cases of foodborne illness? Eating more fresh foods Consumption of convenience foods Global food economy Corporate food production New variations/emerging pathogens Better tracking systems in place Increased media attention What causes foodborne illness? Most foodborne illnesses are caused by pathogens (a.k.a. germs) Cannot see them without a microscope Cannot taste or smell them E. Coli Salmonella Listeria What are the symptoms of a foodborne illness? Usual symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, stomach cramps. Symptoms appear in hours or days. Some foodborne illnesses have long-term health effects. 2

3 Who is at risk for a foodborne illness? Everyone is at risk! Some groups are at a higher risk than others: - infants - young children - pregnant women - adults over 65 - people with weakened immune systems - people with chronic diseases How Do We Keep Our Food Safe? Keeping Our Food Safe Buy foods that are safe to eat (know your grocery store)! Prepare, serve, and store food safely at home. 3

4 Perishable Foods Perishable food: Any food that can become unsafe or spoil if not handled properly (fresh breads, produce, dairy foods, meats, cooked foods, frozen and refrigerated foods). Shop Safely at the Grocery Store Produce Department Choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are not bruised or damaged otherwise the quality will be poor, and they will be quick to spoil. Fresh-cut produce such as packaged salads and pre-cut melons, carrots or sprouts should be refrigerated. 4

5 Bakery Baked goods should not have any mold. Check the sell-by date. Make sure packages are not torn. Deli Section Check sell-by, use-by, and expiration dates. Make sure all cold items are stored cold and packages are intact (i.e., no holes or tears). Hot foods (i.e., baked chicken) should be kept hot. Avoid cheese made with unpasteurized (raw) milk. Meat Department Check sell-by and use-by dates when buying meat, poultry, or fish. Keep raw meat away from other foods. - Place in plastic bags and in the cart where juices cannot drip on other foods. Make sure packages have no tears or holes. 5

6 The Discount Meat Bin Items reduced for quick sale. Great bargains - save money. Shop this section like any other meat section. Use these items within a day or two, or freeze right away. Dairy Case Check sell-by, best if used by, and expiration dates on milk, eggs, juice, and other products. Check eggs for cracks before buying. Avoid unpasteurized (raw) juices and milk. Frozen Foods Pick-up frozen foods just before check out. Make sure items are frozen solid at the time of purchase. Make sure packages are not torn. 6

7 Canned Goods Avoid dented, rusty, cracked, or bulging cans. Dusty lids or torn labels may be a sign the products have been on the shelves a while. Check best if used by dates. Keep Your Food Safe at the Grocery Store Keep household chemicals separate from food in the shopping cart. At the Check-Out, Keep Food Safe Group items at the check-out counter (canned foods, cold foods, frozen foods, etc.) so they can be bagged safely. Keep household chemicals and other non-food items separate from food. 7

8 Get Groceries Home Safely Place perishable foods in the coldest part of your car for the ride home. If travel time is more than 30 minutes, use a cooler for perishable items. Unload perishable foods first; refrigerate or freeze right away. Wash Your Reusable Bags Use plastic bags for meat, poultry and fish only once. Do not reuse. Use reusable bags for canned and other packaged foods. Wash reusable bags in the washing machine and let air dry. Keep Food Safe at Home 8

9 Critical Behaviors that Help Prevent Foodborne Illness Cleaning hands, contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables Keeping raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods separate when preparing and storing them Critical Behaviors that Help Prevent Foodborne Illness Cooking food to a safe internal temperature Chilling perishable foods promptly Keeping food out of the temperature danger zone Four Steps to Safe Food Clean Separate Cook Chill 9

10 FACT: 1 out of every 5 people don t wash their hands and kitchen surfaces before preparing food. Step 1. Clean Wash Hands & Surfaces Often Wash hands, cutting boards, knives, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water. Clean and sanitize cutting boards after each use. When possible, use paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces. Save $$ and make your own sanitizing solution! Sanitizer Recipe: 1 tsp bleach 4 cups water (1 quart) 10

11 Wash Those Hands! Wet your hands with warm, running water. Lather with soap. Rub hands, wrists, between fingers, and underneath the fingernails for 20 seconds. Rinse well with warm water; dry with a hand towel or paper towel. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Wash ALL whole fresh fruits and vegetables. Use: Clean running water Clean hands or a clean vegetable brush Do Not Use: Bleach Soap or detergent What about Bagged Produce? Most bagged produce (lettuce, spinach, cabbage, baby carrots) has already been washed. If so, it will be stated on the package. Additional washing can be done as a precaution, but it is not necessary. 11

12 FACT: Cross-contamination can cause foodborne illness. What is Cross-Contamination? The spread of bacteria from one place or food to another. Step 2: Separate Don t Cross-contaminate Start with a clean work area, utensils, and hands. Use separate cutting boards for raw produce and meat, poultry, and fish. 12

13 Step 2: Separate Don t Cross-contaminate Wash cutting boards & knives with hot, soapy water after use, especially when cutting raw meat, fish, and poultry. Keep raw meat, fish, & poultry on a plate; store on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator. Wash cloth towels & sponges; if possible use paper towels to clean up spills. Not stored on a plate Step 2: Separate Don t Cross-contaminate Keep raw meat, eggs, fresh produce, and other foods from one another when purchasing, storing, and preparing them. Don t rinse meat or poultry before cooking doing so can spread germs to other parts of the kitchen. Melons and whole fruits and vegetables need to be washed before they are cut. Danger Zone (40 to 140 F) Germs grow fast at this temperature. Keep perishable foods out of the danger zone. Cook foods to a safe internal temperature. Chill cooked foods quickly. Don t keep food in the danger zone for longer than 2 hours. No more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 F. More than 2 is bad for you! 13

14 Step 3: Cook Cook to Proper Internal Temperatures Use a clean food thermometer. Cook food to a safe internal temperature. Use caution with microwave cooking. Thorough cooking kills the germs that cause foodborne illness! Which Hamburger is Done? Which Hamburger is Done? Cooked to 165 F X Cooked to 130 F 14

15 FACT: You cannot tell if a food is properly cooked just by looking. Cook Food to a Safe Temperature 145 F How to Measure the Internal Temperature of Food with a Thermometer 15

16 FACT: Among consumers age 25-44, only 16% own a refrigerator thermometer. Step 4: Chill Refrigerate Promptly Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours. 1 hour if it is 90 F degrees or hotter. Thaw foods in the refrigerator (best) microwave, or under cold running water. Divide leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling. Step 4: Chill Refrigerate Promptly Don t pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe! Keep refrigerators at 40 F or below. Keep freezers at 0 F or below. 16

17 One More Thing. Know When to Throw away Food Some Foods Age Well. Wine Cheese Some Foods Do Not. Sometimes food is spoiled or contaminated with germs, and you don t know it. When in doubt throw it out! 17

18 Food Storage - Refrigerator Food Butter Sour cream Fresh fish Ground beef (uncooked) Lunch meat (open package) Fresh apples Spaghetti with meat sauce Storage Time 2-3 weeks 2 weeks 1-3 days 1 to 2 days 3 to 5 days 1 month 3 to 4 days Refrigerators should be kept at 40 F or below! Food Storage - Freezer Food Bread and rolls Cheese Orange juice concentrate Pork chops Frozen pizza Whole chicken or turkey Storage Time 2 to 3 months 6 months 12 months 4 to 6 months 2 to 3 months 12 months Freezers should be kept at 0 F or below! Remember. Everyone is at risk for a foodborne illness. We can prevent foodborne illness by selecting, preparing, and storing food safely. Keep perishable foods out of the danger zone as much as possible. Utilizing the principles of Clean, Cook, Separate, and Chill can keep food safe. When in doubt, throw it out! 18

19 Let s Play What s Wrong with this Picture? 19

20 Questions? Thanks! Presentation developed by: Dr. Jenna Anding, Program Leader Department of Nutrition and Food Science Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating 20