Chapter 19Food Safety and Storage

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

Foodborne Illnesses

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)

Roots of Foodborne Illness

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.

Food Safety

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.

Cleanliness in the Kitchen

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.

Cleanliness in the Kitchen cont.

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

Clean Up

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

Avoid Cross-Contamination

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.

Cooking Food Safely

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

Thawing Food

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

Serving Food

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!!!!

Storing Food Properly

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

Food-Storage Guidelines

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

Room Temperature Storage

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

Refrigerator Storage

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

Freezer Storage

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.

Packaging Food for Freezing

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

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.

When the power goes out

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.

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

Safeguarding the Food Supply

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

Environmental Protection Agency