Is Your Food Safe?

IS YOUR FOOD SAFE? A BASIC GUIDE TO A CLEAN FRIDGE FOOD STORAGE TIMELINE These short but safe time limits for home-refrigerated foods will keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely. REFRIGERATOR FREEZER Hot Dogs Lunch Meat Bacon Sausage Ground Meat Fresh Meat Fresh Poultry Soups & Stews Leftovers Salads (egg, chicken ham, tuna & macaroni) DO NOT FREEZE WELL (sach icon represents one day) (each icon represents one month) 45 CAUSES OF BAD ODOR OR TASTE IN ICE O Open food containers or spilled foods. Bad water supply. Sulfur, algae minerals, salt etc. in the water supply. 3 Low ice usage. Old or stale ice will absorb food odors. Old water filter. If you have a water filtration system, the filter should be replaced every six months. Baby food lasts Mayonnaise lasts Refrigerate peanut MILK PEANUT butter three months BABY one to three FOOD days in the fridge after opening. two months once than one week after opened. BUTTER after opening. the sell-by date. STORAGE DO'S AND DON'TS Place raw meat, poultry and seafood in containers or sealed plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods. Milk and eggs should not go on the door shelf. This is the warmest part of the refrigerator and should not house highly-perishable items. Store eggs in their original carton and refrigerate as soon as possible. Only condiments and other items that don't perish quickly should go on the refrigerator door shelves. Wrap vegetables in plastic and place in the crisper drawers. If something spills clean it up immediately. Allow for good air flow by not packing the fridge too tightly. Do not keep apples and carrots next to each other. Apples produce ethylene, a substance that can cause some foods to spoil sooner. REFRIGERATOR CLEANING GUIDE CLEAN SHELVES AND DRAWERS Now that the shelves and drawers have had time to warm up, take a few moments to clean and dry them. O REMOVE THE FOOD Discard expired food and move food that is still good to a cooler with ice. REMOVE SHELVES AND DRAWERS 5 DRY INTERIOR Take out all removable shelves and drawers and set them aside. Using a clean, dry cloth wipe down the interior of the refrigerator. 3 WIPE DOWN INTERIOR Use a clean cloth with hot water and a mild detergent like dish soap. Pay special attention to the bottom crevices and back of the refrigerator where spills tend to migrate. 6 REPLACE THE FOOD Wipe off any jars or containers of food that may need it before placing back in refrigerator. 7 CLEAN OUT THE FREEZER MOST AMERICANS ONLY CLEAN THEIR REFRIGERATOR Repeat the first six steps to clean the freezer. 1OR2X A YEAR DOING A THOROUGH CLEANING TWICE A MONTH REDUCES THE RISK OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION FUNGUS AMONG US A variety of bacteria can grow in your refrigerator, if not properly maintained, and cause foodborn illnesses. SALMONELLA Found in many foods, including raw and undercooked meat, poultry, dairy products and seafood. CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI (C. JEJUNI) Found in raw or undercooked chicken and unpasteurized milk. SHIGELLA Spread from person to person. If people who are infected do not thoroughly wash their hands after using the bathroom, they can contaminate food that they handle or prepare. ESCHERICHIA COLI (E.COLI) Common sources include raw or uncooked hamburger, unpasteurized fruit juices and milk and fresh produce. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES Found in raw and undercooked meats, unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses and ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs. VIBRIO A bacterium that may contaminate fish or shellfish. CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM A bacterium that may contaminate improperly canned foods and smoked and salted fish. 140 KEEP YOUR TO PREVENT MICROORGANISMS REFRIGERATOR BELOW FROM RAPIDLY GROWING SOURCES http://www.fsis.usda.gow/Factsheets/Be_Smart_Keep_Foods Apart/index.as http://www.cpsc.gow/cpscpub/pubs/425.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703503804575083453336699386.html http://boomersurvive--thriveguide.typepad.com/the_survive_and thrive_bo/2009/06/how--often-- should--you--clean--your--refrigerator.html http://www.ehow.com/about_5113725_should--replace--refrigerator--water--filter.html http://housekeeping.about.com/od/kitchen/ht/refrigerator.htm http://www.fsis.usda.gow/Fact_Sheets/Food_Product_Dating/ http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/ http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Kitchen_Nightmares ww.cbsnews.com/2100--500165 162--3708216.html bidmycleaning.com/?p=1493 http://www.foodsafety.gow/keep/charts/storagetimes.html http://healthfinder.gow/prevention/ViewTopicFull.aspx?topicID=94 http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/Docs/APC/APC_Food_Safety_Self_Inspection_Checklist.pdf http://www.houstontx.gov%2Fhealth%2FF00D%2FInspection%2520Checklistrevised.doc PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2012