1. Food Safety and Storage

2.  Contaminants in food cause over 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths in the United States. ◦ Contaminant: is a substance, such as a chemical or organism, that makes food unsafe to eat. ◦ Foodborne Illness: sickness caused by eating food that contains a contaminant.  Fever, headache, digestive troubles

3.  Most foodborne illness is caused by microorganisms. ◦ Microorganism: is a living thing so small that it can only be seen through a microscope.  Bacteria (cause of foodborne illnesses)  A few bacteria are dangerous to human health. ◦ Toxin: or poison ◦ Spore: protected cell that develops into a bacterium.  Correct Conditions (temperature, etc)

4.  Food Safety: keeping food safe to eat by following proper food handling and cooking practices. ◦ Keep yourself and kitchen clean ◦ Do not cross-contaminate ◦ Cook food thoroughly ◦ Refrigerate food properly.

5.  Sanitation: prevention of illness through cleanliness.  Personal Hygiene ◦ Thoroughly washing your body, face, hands, and avoiding transfer of harmful bacteria. ◦ 20-second scrub: using soap and warm water to scrub your hands (ABC’s). ◦ Clothes, Jewelry, Hair, etc.

6.  A Clean Kitchen ◦ Helps limit the growth of bacteria. ◦ Practice these following habits:  Wash work surfaces in hot soapy water  Wash tops of cans before opening  Use clean spoon for taste testing  Change dishtowels often  Wash laundry and replace with clean linens  Keep pets out of the kitchen  Pest Control ◦ Insects cause harmful bacteria.  Clean up crumbs, food spills, etc.

7.  Thorough clean-up is essential for food safety. ◦ Mop up any spills on the floor. ◦ Wash sink ◦ Throw garbage away.  Washing Dishes ◦ Scrape and rinse food and place them in one side of sink. (left) ◦ Use sponge or dishcloth to wash dishes in order ◦ Rinse thoroughly ◦ Air Dry on rack

8.  Cross Contamination: is the spread of harmful bacteria from one food to another ◦ Most common with:  Raw Meat  Poultry  Seafood  Eggs ◦ Wash surfaces often ◦ Use new utensils ◦ Wash hands frequently. ◦ Cutting Boards  Use a new one or wash in between cutting different foods

9.  Food temperature affects how quickly bacteria grow.  The DANGER ZONE is when bacteria grow the fastest. ◦ 40 degrees F to 140 degrees F. ◦ High temperatures during cooking kill most bacteria, but spores and some toxins can survive. ◦ Bacteria grow more slowly when the food is in the refrigerator and freezer; but some bacteria survive freezing.  Internal Temperature: the temperature deep inside the thickest part of the food. ◦ Most foods need to reach 160 degrees F.

11.  Bacteria can multiply when food is thawing, you should NEVER thaw food at room temperature. ◦ By the time the inside is thawed, millions of bacteria have grown on the outside.  Refrigerator (In container)  Why?  Microwave  Skip thawing  Cooking time will be longer

12.  1. Keep hot foods hot ◦ Higher than 140 degrees F.  Warming Tray, etc  2. Keep cold foods cold ◦ Refrigerate until serving time  3. Follow the 2-hour rule ◦ Perishable foods  Meats, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Dairy

13.  Identifying Spoiled Food ◦ Dirt, Heat, Moisture ALL promote bacteria growth ◦ Fresh Produce  Wilted, Wrinkled, Bruised, Brown ◦ Meats  Slimy Texture ◦ Breads, etc  Mold ◦ Canned Goods  Bulging Cans, Cloudy Fluids  ALWAYS THROW AWAY IF YOU THINK IT COULD BE SPOILED!!!!

14.  No food can be stored indefinitely. Food has shelf life, the length of time it can be stored and still retain its quality. ◦ Shelf life depends on the type of food, packaging, and storage temperature.  To avoid loss of quality, follow these guidelines: ◦ 1. buy only what you need ◦ 2. Look at sell by and use by dates ◦ 3. Clean storage areas regularly

15.  Shelf-Stable foods can be stored at normal room temperature; generally below 85 and above 32. ◦ Include: unopened canned goods, dry beans, peas, oils, shortening, grain products. ◦ Storage should be clean, dry without doors to keep out light. ◦ Keep away from household cleaners

16.  Bacteria thrive at room temperature, so it is important to put food away promptly.  Temperature ◦ Under 40 but above 32  Help air circulate to all the parts of the refrigerator ◦ Do not overload the fridge ◦ Tightly covered  Take on taste of other food, spread bacteria  Refrigerator Storage: ◦ Dairy, eggs, fresh meat, poultry, and fish ◦ Fresh fruits and vegetables; except onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. ◦ Whole grain products, seeds and nuts ◦ Leftover cooked foods ◦ Baked Goods ◦ Any foods that say to refrigerate on the package.  Rancidity- or spoilage

17.  Freezing allows for long term storage; at temperatures of 0 degrees.  Foods that are purchases frozen should be stored promptly in the freezer.  Freezing foods can increase shelf life of foods like: bread, meat, baked goods, etc

18.  Foods that are purchases already frozen can be stored in their original packaging.  Freezer Burn: results when food is improperly packaged or stored in the freezer too long. The food dries out and loses flavor and texture.  Packaging material- must be vapor and moisture resistant. ◦ Include: plastic containers, heavy duty plastic freezer bags.

19.  When filling storage containers- be sure to leave enough room for the food to expand when frozen. (usually about 1 inch)  Label all packages and containers with the contents, amount, date frozen, and any other special instructions.  You should keep an inventory of your frozen foods, so you don’t buy food that you already have at home. ◦ Inventory- or up-to-date record

20.  When the power goes off or the refrigerator breaks down, the food inside is in danger of spoiling. ◦ In general, avoid opening the door- will help maintain colder temperatures longer.  Keeping frozen foods safe ◦ A full freezer will keep frozen for about 2 days. ◦ A half full freezer- about 1 day. ◦ Keep meats separated  If they start to thaw their juices may run.

21.  Keeping refrigerated foods safe: ◦ During a power outage, food will usually keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours  When the refrigerator is working again: ◦ Discard any fresh meats, poultry, fish, lunch meat, hot dogs, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, and left over's. ◦ Keep butter or margarine if they have not melted ◦ Other foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables are safe if they show no signs of mold, sliminess, or bad odor.

22.  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ◦ Oversee safety of the food supply  Food Additives  Fat Replacers  Hazard Analysis (Food Borne Outbreaks)  Irradiation  The process of exposing food to the high-intensity energy waves to increase shelf life and kill harmful organisms.  Recalls  Immediate removal of a product from store shelfs

23.  An Agency of the Federal Government that helps to protect the environment. ◦ Monitors the impact of food productions on land, air, and water. ◦ Regulates the use of pesticides ◦ Establishes a tolerance: maximum safe level for food