Summer Food Safety Guidelines

A European-born friend of mine (the author's) recently returned from visiting her family in France. She couldn't get over how many food items were not refrigerated by her parents -- butter, hard cheeses, produce and even some fruit pies and fruit juices languished on the counter for hours. While I haven't heard of any food poisoning epidemic overseas, the fact is that refrigeration is one of our best safety strategies for protection from foodborne illness, says Sanford Miller, PhD, a senior fellow at the University of Maryland Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "Refrigeration slows down the growth of bacteria -- even in food that has been contaminated," he said. With the heat of the summer upon us, it's important to be especially careful about keeping things cool. Here are some reminders...

PRODUCE

For a variety of reasons, there has been an increase in foodborne illnesses from fresh produce, one major factor being contamination from the water used in growing, Dr. Miller said. Even washing produce doesn't provide total protection because contaminants can be absorbed by the plant, as appears to be the case with this summer's Salmonella outbreak in tomatoes. One way to reduce the likelihood bacteria in fruits and vegetables will multiply is to refrigerate produce. This can help protect your family against getting sick, says Dr. Miller.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Dairy products taste and smell better for longer if they are kept refrigerated. The "sell by" and "best used by" dates grow irrelevant if dairy products aren't kept cool, since heat will hasten the spoiling process. Put milk, butter and other dairy products back in the refrigerator after using and, to be on the safe side, discard milk left out more than two hours.

MEAT AND POULTRY

"There's even more danger with spoiled meat," said Dr. Miller. All raw meat and poultry contains bacteria, the most well-known of which are Salmonella and E. coli. "These are part of the 'natural flora' of bacteria living in all animals, including humans," he explained. The higher the temperature over 40 degrees, the faster these bacteria multiply -- more bacteria means greater likelihood people will get ill and greater severity of the illness. Most common bacteria don't grow at all at temperatures lower than 40 degrees and are killed when food is properly cooked (see below for temperatures). Note: One somewhat less common variety of bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, does survive and reproduce, albeit slowly, at low temperatures. "It's very important that meat and poultry be kept refrigerated at all times," Dr. Miller said, noting that both cooked and raw meat and poultry will remain safe for consumption up to several days in the refrigerator.

The most common danger with meat and poultry arises from defrosting on the kitchen counter, Dr. Miller stresses. "This creates the perfect environment for the bacteria to grow in." He advises slow defrosting in the refrigerator (it takes about twice as long) or using a microwave, though personally I find this hard to do without precooking the meat around the edges, which makes it unappealingly tough. Another option, faster than the fridge, is to thaw meat by submerging it in a tightly sealed package in cold water, replacing the water every 30 minutes to speed the process. Take care to make sure no water touches the meat, as this can contaminate it... and does nothing positive for taste or texture either. Also, as noted above, while cooking meat kills all bacteria, contamination can happen afterward, too, particularly in meat that is left out on the table for longer than two hours -- even sooner if it's really hot weather. Put it quickly back into the refrigerator, wrapped and covered, which helps reduce bacterial growth and cross-contamination as well.

SOURCES OF MORE INFORMATION

For a detailed guide on meat, dairy, fish and produce storage, visit the Food Market Institute at [www.fmi.org/docs/consumer/foodguides.pdf]. And, you can get a complete set of guidelines for purchasing and handling food safely at the following USDA Web site: [http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Basics_for_Handling_Food_Safely/index.asp]. Here are some highlights:

Always refrigerate food within two hours of buying (one hour when it's 90° F or hotter).

Refrigerator thermostats should be set at 40° F and freezers at 0° F.

Cook or freeze meat, poultry or fish within two days of purchase.

Wrap animal products securely so meat juices won't get on other foods.

Cook beef, veal, lamb, roasts and chops to 145º, pork and ground meat to 160° and poultry to 165° to kill all bacteria.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR FOOD HAS GONE BAD

Personally, I am a big believer in making "sensible decisions" about whether something is still good to eat. Do the smell test -- toss fish, milk and dairy products that smell fishy or sour and meat that smells off. Remember that even produce can go bad with age, so throw it out if it no longer smells fresh or looks or feels appealing. Be aware, however, that not all foods smell or look bad when they are contaminated. For example, cooked foods can have bacteria growing on them but may not look, smell, feel or taste any different, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. With food, always err on the side of caution. While it's painful to throw away or have to return a package of chicken you just bought because it is past its expiration date, it's even more painful to prepare and serve it -- and sicken your family.

Source(s):

Sanford Miller, PhD, a senior fellow at the University of Maryland Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, Maryland.

Daily Health News, BottomLineSecrets.com July 15, 2008