Be Food Safe

Love Your Leftovers!

Aren't leftovers one of the best parts of Thanksgiving meals?  Well, even if you refrigerated your leftovers properly (at 40 degrees F and promptly after serving), your turkey, stuffing, and all the other fixings should be eaten, frozen or discarded by today (Monday, November 30).

If you're going to eat them today, just the way they are, reheat your cooked leftovers to 165 degrees F, as measured on a food thermometer.  Sauces, soups and gravies need to be rehated by bringing them to a good boil.

If you're microwaving those leftovers, make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can thrive).  Cover the food, stir and rotate for even cooking.  Remember to use that food thermometer to make sure it's done!

If you need leftover inspiration, the HolidayFoodSafety.org  website has tasty recipes, such as colorful turkey pasta salad and turkey-veg hash brown quiche.  In any event, if you've got leftovers lurking in the far reaches of your frig, deal with them today and avoid foodborne illness!

Plenty of Help for the Holiday Chef

And they're off and running!  The Thanksgiving holiday marks the beginning of the season for giving...and cooking.  This year, be sure you and your family and guests are safe by following food safety guidelines.

Not to worry:  there's plenty of help available if you have questions.  First and foremost, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has a meat and poultry hotline.  Call 1-888-674-6854 (1-888-MPHOTLINE).  This line is in operation weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (we're three hours earlier on the West Coast).  It will be in operation on Thanksgiving Day, too, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET.  You can also "Ask Karen", the Food Safety Institute's virtual representative, available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov

Remember the most critical part of the turkey prep is using a food thermometer.  Make sure the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. for safety.  Be prepared for a large volume of leftovers, having plenty of shallow storage containers on hand with lids to store your food within two hours of dinner. 

If your guests bring a dish to the festivities, suggest items that don't require refrigeration, such as bread, beverages or cookies.  You can also have  cooler on hand full of ice to keep beverages, freeing up your refrigerator space and helping to avoid the in and out of the refrigerator duirng meal prep.

With one week till Thanksgiving, now's the time to shop for hardy vegetables such as onions, winter squash, carrots, potatoes and root vegetables like turnips.  Put your menu together, and plan your shopping trip to take advantage of the great savings and values for Thanksgiving meals.

Take some time to figure out how long it will take to thaw your frozen turkey in the refrigerator.  For each 4.5 pounds of frozen turkey, plan on a 24-hour refrigerated thaw time.  Place the frozen turkey, breast side down, in the original wrapper, in a 2-inch deep roasting pan in the frig.  A 16-pound turkey will require 3 and a half days to thaw.  Never leave a turkey to thaw at room temperature!  Ever! 

One more resource:  the USDA has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/usda with lots of good tips and information to make your holiday food safe and tasty!  The Holiday Food Safety Success Kit contains a wealth of info on turkey purchasing, recipes for leftovers, holiday planners with shopping lists and even kids' activities so they can learn right from the start and be part of a food safe celebration.  Check it out at holidayfoodsafety.org 

Check Your Food Safety Shopping List Now!

If you're thinking ahead to the biggest food day of the year ---- that would be Thanksgiving --- you are probably considering your shopping list.  Along with the turkey---  will it be fresh, frozen, smoked or stuffed --- the sweet potatoes or mashed or both, the green bean casserole and the stuffing with sausage or pecans or cornbread --- there is another group of items to add.  Along with purchasing any non-perishable items this week (things like flour, sugar, canned foods, frozen foods, dried herbs), you might want to also order your turkey from our stores.

This week is also a great time to consider your food safety shopping list against the supplies you already have in your kitchen.  With these items on hand, you'll be prepared to Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill your way to a safe and festive holiday meal!  Here are the items we suggest for each of the four categories.

Clean:  unscented liquid bleach or sanitizing spray, clean sponges, clean cloth towels, paper towels, dish soap, hand soap, brush for cleaning fruits and vegetables under running water

Separate:  two clean cutting boards (one for meats, the other for fruits and vegetables), large rimmed baking sheet to put under the turkey in your refrigerator

Cook:  accurate food thermometer, aluminum foil to tent the resting, post-cooked turkey

Chill:  apprliance thermometers (one for frig, one for freezer), kitchen timer to set as reminder to put foods in the frig, shallow containers with lids for leftovers, food labels for containers, plastic wrap and storage bags

New Holiday Food Safety Website

The Partnership for Food Safety Education has put together a new website for the holidays at holidayfoodsafety.org. Including valuable food safety tips, recipes, and even activities for the kids it's certainly worth checking out.

FDA Requires Industry Food Facilities to Report Potentially Dangerous Products

Following the last several months of food scares --- from peanut butter products to refrigerated cookie dough --- the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added a food reporting requirement that will help head off potential cases of foodborne illness.

The Reportable Food Registry requires food industry officials to alert the FDA quickly and electronically when they find their products might sicken or even kill people or animals.  This registry requirement is the result of federal legislation aimed at making our food supply safe.

Facilities that manufacture, process or hold food for consumption in this country must notify the FDA within 24 hours if they find a reasonable probability that an article of food will cause severe health problems or even death to a person or an animal.

This requirement applies to all foods and animal feed regulated by the FDA, except infant formula and dietary supplements, which are covered by other regulations. 

A food could be reportable for several reasons, including bacterial contamination, elevated levels of certain chemical components or mislabeling allergens.

This real-time reporting should help the FDA act quickly to prevent foodborne illness, according to the FDA.  Products which may be contaminated can be kept away from consumers.  For more information, visit www.fda.gov/ReportableFoodRegistry

Mythbusters: Do You Know Food Safety Fact From Fiction?

Question:  how do you sanitize a cutting board?  If you use the old wives' method of lemon juice and salt, please reconsider.  Sanitizing is the process of reducing the number of microorganisms on a properly cleaned surface to a safe level so the risk of foodborne illness is reduced.  Lemon juice and salt won't do that! 

The most effective way to sanitize a cutting board, or other kitchen surfaces, is with a diluted bleach and water solution.  Mix one tablespoon (no more!) of unscented liquid chlorine bleach and one gallon of water.  Clean the cutting board by first washing it with hot water and soap.  Sanitize by letting the diluted bleach mix stand on the cutting board surface for a couple of minutes.  Then, rinse and blot it dry with clean paper towels.  it is important to both clean and disinfect.  You can't tell if a surface is free of disease-causing bacteria just by looking.

Question:  Will rinsing raw chicken with water remove harmful bacteria like Salmonella?  Definitely not...in fact, it can spread raw juices around your sink and countertops, and even on ready-to-eat foods.  The bacteria in raw meat and poultry can only be killed when it's cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature.  That means cooking poultry to 165 degrees F. , as measured by a food thermometer.  Save yourself the mess of rinsing raw poultry.  It's not a safety step, and it can lead to dangerous cross-contamination.

Question:  If a hamburger is brown in the middle, is it cooked?  By now, you probably know that you can't use visual cues to determine whether food has been cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature.  The only way to know that food has been cooked safely is to use a food thermometer.  Ground meat should be cooked to 160 degrees F. at a minimum...and be sure you're measuring that with a trusty food thermometer.

Question:  Can you put hot food in the refrigerator?  Well, actually yes!  Hot foods can be placed directly into the frig.  A large pot of food, like soup, should be divided into smaller portions and put into shallow containers for quicker cooling.  If you leave food out to cool after cooking and forget to refrigerate it, you need to throw it away!  After two hours, food is not safe to eat if it's been resting at room temperature.  Of course, in hotter weather, that window is even less than two hours.  If food is left outdoors where the temperature is 90 degrees or more, refrigerate it or eat it within just one hour.  If you don't, throw it away. 

Bacteria grow rapidly in the danger zone between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so always follow that two-hour rule:  eat perishable foods or refrigerate them within two hours at a frig temperature of 40 degrees F or lower.  You've taken the time to prepare good, healthy food: now make sure it's safe to eat!

Safe Cooking Temperatures: An Easy Guide

Don't take a chance with food safety.  When you're cooking in the oven or on the grill, measure the safe cooking temperature of your food with a food thermometer.  Checking the internal temperature of the food is the only way to determine if it is safe to eat.  Takes just a moment and provides that peace of mind to you, your family and your guests.  Here are the safe cooking temperatures to follow.

Ground Meat and Meat Mixtures

  • Beef, pork, veal, lamb:  160 degrees F.
  • Turkey, chicken:  165 degrees F.

Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb

  • Medium rare: 145 degrees F.
  • Medium: 160 degrees F.
  • Well done: 170 degrres F.

Poultry

  • Chicken and turkey, whole: 165 degrees F.
  • Poultry parts:  165 degrees F.
  • Duck and goose: 165 degrees F.
  • Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird): 165 degrees F.

Fresh Pork

  • Medium: 160 degrees F.
  • Well done: 170 degrees F.

Ham

  • Fresh (raw): 160 degrees F.
  • Pre-cooked (to reheat):  140 degrees F.

Eggs and Egg Dishes

  • Eggs: cook till yolk and white are firm
  • Egg dishes: 160 degrees F.

Seafood

  • Fin fish: 145 degrees F. (flesh is opaque)
  • Shrimp, lobster & crab: flesh is pearly and opaque
  • Clams, oysters and mussels: shells open during cooking
  • Scallops: milky white or opaque and firm

Leftovers and Casseroles

  • 165 degrees F.

Remember that color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.  Be especially careful to cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm, and only use recipes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly.  During warmer summer months, it's especially important to also follow the golden rule of defrosting: never defrost food at room temperature.  You can safely defrost food in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave...never sitting on the kitchen counter.  If food is thawed in cold water or the micro, cook it immediately.

Memorial Day Means Grilling: Do You Have The Right Stuff?

Ladies and gentlemen, start your barbecues...Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start for the fifth season, the season of grilling outdoors.  You have your secret barbecue sauce, your family-handed-down recipe for ribs, your side dishes enhanced with that smokey alder flavor...but there's one thing you must have.

For a safe and delicious barbecue, you must use a food thermometer.  You cannot tell simply by looking if food is fully cooked.  The only way to make sure it has reached a safe minimum internal temperature is to use a food thermometer.  Harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli might be present in food that doesn't reach that safe internal temperature.

Use the food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat and poultry near the end of cooking time.  You can use either a digital instant-read thermometer or the thermometer-fork combo.  They are both easy to read and can be used in most foods.  They are accurate to within plus or minus two to three degrees Fahrenheit.  This also helps you avoid overcooking food.

Before you stick that thermometer into your tasty chicken, read the instructions for use and care.  They are not designed to be left in food while it is cooking.  Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food, not touching the bone, fat or gristle.  Check the temperature in several places to be sure the food is evenly heated.  Clean the thermometer with hot water and soap before and after each use.

Enjoy the launching of barbecue season the food safe way:  bring along your food thermometer and serve your guests and family the tastiest, most flavorful foods...guaranteed safe!

Be Egg Safe This Season

It's the time for eggs:  hard-boiled, dyed and decorated, enjoyed as a rite of spring.  Be Food Safe by treating your eggs right.

  • Keep hard-cooked Easter eggs refrigerated until just before the egg hunt.  Don't leave hard-cooked eggs out at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • Only use eggs that have been refrigerated and discard any eggs that are cracked or dirty.
  • Wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after handling eggs.
  • Consider buying one set of eggs for decorating and hunting only, another set just for good eating.
  • For egg info, check out www.aeb.org (the American Egg Board): recipes and egg safety.

Do you know how to keep food safe at home?

Foodborne illness is a serious public health threat.  Here at The Markets, we work very hard to provide you with safe, wholesome and properly labeled and packaged foods for your family.

But that's only the first step of food safety.  Improper handling, preparation and storage of food can cause foodborne illness that ranges from temporary discomfort to hospitalization and even death.  Especially vulnerable are the very young, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

We are charter members of The Partnership for Food Safety Education, a natonal organization that works in tandem with the Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This group created Fight BAC,the first national campaign to emphasize the four basic safe food handling behaviors.  Be Food Safe is the refreshed campaign, and it has four easy behaviors to use every time you are handling food at home:

  • Clean
  • Separate
  • Cook
  • Chill

Clean means clean hands and clean surfaces.  Wash with warm, soapy water before you prep or eat food, and wash your utensils and countertops after prepping each food item.  Use clean packaging and bags.

Separate means don't cross-contaminate.  Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a different one for meat and poultry: they shouldn't mix.

Cook means cooking foods to a safe temperature.  Use a food thermometer, since you can't tell food is cooked safely by looks alone.

Chill means refrigerating leftovers and takeout foods within two hours.  Keep the fridge at 40 degrees F. or below.

It's really simple to follow these four rules and apply them to your daily food handling.  Whether you're fixing school lunches for your children or bringing a hot dish to a potluck, remember to Be Food Safe. "Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards before and after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs"


"Keep raw meat and poultry apart from foods that won’t be cooked. Use different cutting boards for meat, poultry, seafood, and veggies"

 

"You can’t tell it’s done by how it looks! Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry have reached a safe minimum internal temperature."

Poultry should be cooked to 165 ºF
Ground beef should be cooked to 160 ºF
Egg dishes should be cooked to 160 ºF
Steaks and roasts should be cooked to 145 ºF
Fish should be cooked to 145 ºF
 

"Chill leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours and keep the fridge at 40 ºF or below to keep bacteria from growing"

Learn more about food safety at www.befoodsafe.org 

Food Safety Applies to Microwave Cooking, Too

Don't you love dinner in minutes...a frozen entree and a microwave oven make life pretty sweet sometimes.  But do keep in mind that food safety applies as well to cooking frozen foods in the trusty microwave.  Here are a couple of tips.

Make sure you follow the cooking instructions on the package, and remember that food can cook unevenly in a microwave.  The actual cooking time can vary, due to the power of your particular appliance and its efficiency.

Harmful bacteria can survive in those challenging cold spots.  Observe the instuctions again: if they indicate rotating and stirring the product, do so, and remember that standing time before eating actually completes the cooking process.

Use a food thermometer to verify that food has reached the safe minimum internal temperature. Take a few minutes and save yourself the unpleasant outcome of a possible foodborne illness.

There are Limits to Leftovers

We're all eating lots more leftovers these days, as we stretch our food budgets by preparing more meals at home and saving those leftovers for tomorrow's meals (instead of the dog's delight).  Like any other aspect of food handling, leftovers should be treated with the same safe food handling practices.

First, discard refrigerated leftover foods within three to four days --- no more mystery meals at the back of the frig!  Time plus temperature causes bacteria to grow.  Your frig should be cold enough to keep food safe, and you shouldn't hang on to those leftovers too long. 

Refrigerate the cooked leftovers promptly: within two hours, or just one hour if the temperatures are over 90 degrees (a rare occurence here).  Test out your frig temperature with an appliance thermometer to make sure it's always 40 degrees or below.

Divide the leftovers into smaller portions and store in shallow containers.  If the leftovers contain meat or poultry, reheat them to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.  Use a food thermometer to check the temperature before serving.  Let sauces, soups and gravies reheat by bringing them to a boil. 

Be especially careful with microwaving leftovers.  Cold spots in food can allow bacteria to prosper.  Cover the food, stir and rotate for even cooking at least once or twice. 

Remember, as you buy in bulk (check out our great values!), you can refrigerate large packages of perishables like raw meat or poultry for one to two days, but then the food should be cooked or put in the freezer.  Meat and poultry stay safe indefinitely in the freezer, but if you're looking for the optimum quality, we suggest eating frozen meat and poultry within three to six months.

Brown Bagging It Safely At Work

We've all seen the mysterious brown lunch bags in the office frig, or the clump of stuff in the plastic container, neither of which is claimed by anyone. Don't let old food sit around, just waiting to make you sick!  Food safety dictates that you want to keep your food at work fresh.  Here are a few basic tips all of us can remember as we're saving a few dollars by bringing food from home.

Don't let your bagged lunch sit at your workspace when you arrive in the morning.  Walk it right over to the lunchroom and place it in the refrigerator.  If you don't have one, it's time to invest in a frozen juice box or a frozen gel pack to keep your perishable foods fresh (lunch meats, mayo, dairy).

Before you eat, wash your hands and your desktop with warm soapy water.  (While you're at it, how about cleaning off surfaces you use all the time, like a desk phone or keyboard?)  Wash up after you eat, too.  Food-transmitted bugs don't stand a chance with this easy habit.

Finally, don't succumb to the temptation to put leftovers back in the frig, where they might languish for many a day, until they are almost unrecognizable, and hopefully not tempting to nibble on.  Throw away (in your compostable garbage bin, we hope) your uneaten perishable foods and the used packaging and paper bags (recycle, please).  Did you know reusing packaging could contaminate other food and lead to foodborne illnesses?


 

Be Party Safe This Season

So it's party time around the office, at home, the kids' school, wherever.  You are proud to bring a great selection of treats, but don't bring along food-related illness!

What is the maximum amount of time a tray of fresh-cut veggies, fruits, cold meats plate can sit out at a party before becoming a potential health danger to your guests?  It's two hours.  If you're planning a holiday get-together, remember these foods are perishable (yes, even the fruits and vegetables) and don't let them sit at room temperature for more than two hours.

How can you keep a tray cold during your party?   Nest the tray of food in a big bowl of ice you can replenish as needed.  Instead of serving from one large platter, arrange your food on several small platters.  Refrigerate the platters until it's serving time, and rotate these every two hours.

Remember, even though the weather is chilly, food safety should continue to be top-of-mind as you're planning a gathering that includes wonderful holiday foods.