Keep Your Food Safe and Stay Well

It May Not be the Flu!

Have you ever had nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and thought you had the flu? It might have been food borne illness--getting sick from eating spoiled food. Some people call this food poisoning.

Food can make us sick if it is spoiled by bacteria or mold. It may look, smell and taste okay, but it can still make us sick.

Bacteria and mold are a lot like us--they need food, water and a mild temperature to grow. They thrive in foods rich in protein and water like eggs, meat, fish, poultry, milk and other dairy products.

Handle these foods carefully! They spoil quickly.

FNEP

Food & Nutrition

HES Extension
Wash Your Hands to Keep Bacteria from Spreading
  • Wet your hands with warm water.
  • Put soap on your hands.
  • Wash your hands by rubbing them together for at least 20 seconds.
  • Rinse well with warm water.
  • Dry hands with a clean towel or paper towel--don’t use your dish towel.

When You Shop

  • Stop at the grocery store last when doing errands.
  • Put raw meat, fish, and poultry in a plastic bag so blood won't drip on other food.
  • Take food straight home to the refrigerator or freezer. Never leave food in the car.
  • Food that is unsafe can make you sick or even be fatal. Don't buy:
  • cans that have dents, leaks, rust, or bulges;
  • jars that are cracked or have loose lids;
  • torn packages;
  • food past its expiration date -- no matter how low the price -- it's not a good buy.
  • Pick up hot and cold foods last.

Storing Food

  • Bacteria grow quickly at room temperature.
  • Put foods that spoil quickly (meat, fish, poultry, dairy foods, and eggs) in the refrigerator or freezer right away to keep bacteria from growing.
  • Refrigerator temperature should be 40 degrees F or lower.
  • Freezer temperature should be 0 degrees F or lower.
  • Store foods that spoil quickly in the coldest part of the refrigerator-- the lowest shelf in the back.

Thawing Food

  • Freezing food slows bacterial growth--but it does not kill bacteria. As food thaws, bacteria begin to grow again.
  • Thaw foods in the refrigerator. This keeps the outside of the food from getting warm and letting bacteria grow.
  • Thaw meat, fish, or poultry on a plate or tray to keep blood and raw juices from dripping on other food--the bacteria from the blood or juices can make you sick.

Preparing Food

  • Cook all meat, fish, poultry and eggs until well done to kill bacteria.
  • Meat and poultry juices should run clear--meat should not be pink in the center.
  • Cook eggs until whites set and yolks are thick. Never used raw eggs in dishes that aren’t cooked.
  • To kill bacteria left after fixing raw meat, fish or poultry:
  • Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with warm soapy water.
  • Rinse with warm water.
  • Then, sanitize by rinsing with a mixture of 1 teaspoon bleach in 1 gallon of hot water.
  • Air dry.
  • Wash hands in warm soapy water.
  • Tips for Cooking Meat, Fish and Poultry
  • Use oven temperatures of 325 degrees F or above.
  • Cut large pieces of meat, poultry, and fish into smaller pieces before cooking in a crockpot.
  • Put meat, fish and poultry on a clean plate after cooking -- don’t use the plate that held them when raw.

It's NOT SAFE to:

  • put food in boiling water and turn off the heat
  • put food in the oven and turn off the heat
  • cook food part way and then finish cooking it later

Storing Leftovers

Put leftovers in the refrigerator right away after a meal -- modern refrigerators can cool hot food!

Put hot food into small shallow containers-- they will cool faster than one large deep container.

Make sure foods cool to 40 degrees F or below within 2 hours.

Store leftovers in tightly closed containers in the refrigerator.

Most leftovers will keep safely for 1-2 days.

Throw away food containing meat, poultry, fish, eggs or milk if it sits out at room temperature more than 2 hours. This includes icing made with whipped cream or eggs and cream pies such as pumpkin and pecan.

Heating Leftovers

Heat leftovers until hot all the way through, not just warm.

Bring sauces, gravies, and soups to a boil.

Never taste old leftovers to find out if they are safe. Spoiled food can taste, smell, and look okay.

For more information on food safety or other related topics, contact:

Betty Holmes, Nutrition Education Assistant, Oregon County Extension, PO Box 97, Alton, MO 65606.
Phone: 417/778-7490

 

Adapted from FNEP curriculum Lesson 7 by Betty Holmes and Barbara Willenberg

HES Extension Site Administrator:
exthesweb@missouri.edu