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Here’s how to keep food safe when it’s extra hot outside

Picture this: Relaxed al fresco lunches, backyard barbecues with friends, and simple snacks with the family car camping. What you see as summer fun,  bacteria and viruses also see as a raging good time. Around 48 million people will get sick from a foodborne illness this year, according to the CDC. Hot weather is the perfect environment for bacteria to flourish, so it’s especially important during the summer months to make sure you’re keeping your food safe. So what can you do to prevent those gnarly nights camped out in the bathroom? Here are 7 ways to make sure your food stays safe when it’s hot out: 1. Keep things cool on the road If you’re headed on our a car adventure, keep your cooler near the air-conditioning, rather in the trunk or in the direct path on sunlight. 2. Keep hands clean Always wash your hands before and after…

A USDA food safety reminder for summer outings

Don’t let pathogens crash your summer picnic. With summer officially underway, people are gearing up their picnic baskets and grills for a long summer of outdoor dining. But remember that excess heat and humidity combined with outdoor activities make for the perfect environment for bacteria to multiply and spoil your food and your fun. If your idea of summer is indulgent whipped cream fruit salads, deviled eggs, and grilled chicken and burgers, you should take a few steps to make sure your meal won’t make you sick. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a few tips that will help keep summer fun and food handling safe: Lather up. If running water might not be present, bring soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer or moist towelettes. It’s good to wash hands before eating, but it’s extra important if you’re handling raw meat or poultry. Bring plenty of plates and utensils. Don’t place cooked…

More people get sick from this food than any other, according to the CDC

Summer is right around the corner and chances are you’re dying to bite into your first big piece of juicy grilled chicken. Chicken is by far the most popular source of protein in the U.S. The USDA reports that Americans consume 92 pounds of chicken per person per year. But all of that poultry comes with a dirty little secret — chicken is far more likely to make you sick than any other food. The CDC estimates that every year about a million people get sick from eating contaminated poultry. Salmonella and campylobacter are the two most common causes of foodborne illness — both commonly spread through animal feces. Salmonella can come from a variety of foods including eggs, meat, dairy, or produce, but campylobacter is pretty strictly tied to chicken. The USDA reported that from April 2018 through March 2019, 22% of production plants did not meet standards set for limiting…

Back-to-school food safety for parents, kids

Chances are you’ll worry more about finding foods for your child’s lunchbox that they’ll actually eat, than you will about whether those foods will be safe to eat by the time they get there. More than 48 million Americans will become stricken with food poisoning this year. That’s nearly 1 in every six people resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and more than 3000 deaths. Children are the most vulnerable to foodborne illnesses, so it’s worth taking extra precautions when packing their lunches. “One thing parents might want to do before school starts is pack a simple lunch with a cold source, and leave it on the counter,” said Marianne H. Gravely, Senior Technical Information Specialist of the Food Safety Education Staff at the USDA. “Wait the amount of time the child has to wait until lunch, and see if it’s still cold.” This activity gets the kids involved in their lunch planning but it also starts to teach them to become aware of the…

6 foods you should never wash before cooking

When you’re cooking, it’s natural to want to keep things clean and tidy in your kitchen — after all, 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year. While you should continue to keep your utensils and cutting surfaces super clean, sometimes the actual food your prepping should be left alone. If you think you’re beating bacteria by washing these 6 food items, thing again. Save yourself the time and trouble: Mushrooms Mushrooms act like little sponges and actually change texture and taste when they come in contact with water for too long. While this doesn’t mean they’re dangerous, mushrooms are extremely absorbent and can become soggy and rubbery if they’re soaked for too long. Instead, use a damp paper towel to clean them. Eggs You might have considered washing your eggs before cracking them open into that omelet — after all, eggs come out of you know where. But…

Kick off grilling season with proper food safety

For many Americans, the official kickoff to summer picnic and grilling season happens this weekend. With all of that food handling happening, it’s inevitable than many of us will end our fun afternoons with no-so-fun circumstances. An estimated 128,000 people nationwide will end up in the hospital with foodborne illnesses this year, but many of these can be prevented by properly cooking and storing foods when traveling and cooking out. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recommends that you refresh your memory on food safety before diving into summer festivities. Grilling basics: Keep perishable foods at or below 40ºF. Food should never sit out longer than 2 hours. If weather is hot, knock this down to 60 minutes. Pack separate coolers for perishable items and other items like drinks, if people will be reaching in and out. This will ensure your meats or poultry stay cold,…

Keep milk out of the fridge door, and other storage tips

Fridge designers are toying with you. While you think the door shelf looks like it was custom fitted to your milk carton, it turns out, milk stored in the door may make you ill. Store milk on a middle shelf, and only use the door to store items that don’t need to maintain a cool temperature. A well organized fridge is important for safe food storage and also to help you minimize waste. Here are a few tips to from Good Housekeeping UK that will help keep your fridge foods fresher longer. Ideal temperature: Set your temperature gauge between 33ºF and 39ºF so your food items never warm above 41ºF. Avoid putting food that are still warm from dinner in the fridge as they can cause the temperature to rise and spoil other foods — leading to those unpleasant feelings of food poisoning. Storage tips: Keep open jars of jam, jelly or condiments refrigerated. Cooked foods should…