William Penn Life, 2000 (35. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2000-09-01 / 9. szám

Fight ‘Bac’

How to stop the spread of harmful bacteria in the kitchen

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL FOOD Safety Education Month, an annual observance to focus attention on the importance of safe food handling and preparation in both home and commercial kitchens.

This year's theme is: "Be Smart. Keep Foods Apart — Don't Cross- Contaminate." Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, utensils and other items if they are not handled properly. An example of cross-contaminiation is cutting raw meat, poultry or fish on a cutting board and then slicing salad vegetables on the same cutting board without washing it between uses.

Most consumers have developed a good foundation of food safety knowledge. Yet many consumers remain confused about cross-contamination. This confusion leads to increased risk of foodbome illness.

What can you do to prevent crosscontamination and reduce the risk of foodbome illness? Try following these simple steps:

When shopping: Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in your shopping cart. Place

these foods in plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods. It is also best to separate these foods from other foods at the check out counter and in your grocery bags.

When refrigerating food: Place raw meat, poultry and seafood in containers or sealed plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods. Raw juices often contain harmful bacteria.

Store eggs in their original carton and refrigerate as soon as possible.

When preparing food: Wash hands and surfaces often. Harmful bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils and counter tops. To prevent this:

(1) wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers or handling pets;

(2) use hot, soapy water and paper towels or clean cloths to wipe up kitchen surfaces or spills, and wash the cloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine; and

(3) wash cutting boards, dishes and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item

and before you go on to the next item.

In addition, a solution of one teaspoon of bleach in one quart of water may be used to sanitize surfaces and utensils.

Cutting boards: Always use a clean cutting board. If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Once cutting boards become excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves, you should replace them.

Marinating food: Always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Sauce that is used to marinate raw meat, poultry or seafood should not be used on cooked foods unless it is boiled just before using.

When SERVING food: Always use a clean plate. Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw food.

When STORING leftovers: Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours or sooner in clean, shallow, covered containers to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying. |^j»j~|

Health Links

For more information about safe food handling and preventing cross-contamination, see the Food Safety Education website presented by the FDA and USDA at:

www.fodsafety.gov

You can also call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hftline,

I -800-535-4555

or the FDA Food Information Line,

I-888-SAFE FOOD.

Avoid the *iDanger Zone*

FOODBORNE ILLNESS often presents itself as flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or fever. Therefore, many people may not recognize their illness is caused by bacteria in food. Such bacteria multiply rapidly between 40eF and 140eF. To keep food out of this "danger zone," keep cold food cold and hot food hot. More specifically:

• store food in the refrigerator (40SF or below) or freezer (CPF);

• cook food to 16CPF (145eF for roasts, steaks and chops of red meat);

• maintain hot cooked food at 1402F or above; and

• when reheating cooked food, reheat to 165SF.

William I1TM Life, September 2000

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