Food Safety Tips

• Never choose packages which are torn or leaking.
  
• Don't buy foods past "sell-by" or expiration dates.
  
• Put raw meat and poultry into a plastic bag so meat juices won't cross-contaminate cooked foods or those eaten raw, such as vegetables or fruit.
  
• Place refrigerated or frozen items in the shopping cart last, right before heading for the checkout counter.
  
• When loading the car, keep perishable items inside the air-conditioned car—not in the trunk.
  
• Drive immediately home from the grocery. If you live farther away than 30 minutes, bring a cooler with ice from home; place perishables in it.
  

• Unload perishable foods from the car first and immediately refrigerate them.
  
• Place securely wrapped packages of raw meat, poultry, or fish in the meat drawer or coldest section of your refrigerator.
  
• Check the temperature of your unit with an appliance thermometer. To slow bacterial growth, the refrigerator should be at 40° F; the freezer, 0° F.
  
• Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
  

• Hands should be washed thoroughly after using the bathroom or changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
  
• Wash hands before and after handling raw meat and poultry.
  
• Sanitize cutting boards often in a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water. Wash kitchen towels and cloths often in hot water in washing machine.
  
• Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food. After cutting raw meats, wash hands, cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water.
  
• Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.
  
• Always wash fresh fruits and vegetables under cool running tap water before eating. This removes any lingering dirt while also removing or reducing any bacteria or other substances.
  
• Certain hearty vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots. can be scrubbed with a produce brush if consumers plan to eat the fiber and nutrient-rich skin.
  
• When preparing fruits and vegetables, cut away bruised or damaged areas.
  

Refrigerator: Allow slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing juices do not drip on other foods.
Cold Water: For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerge in cold tap water.
Microwave: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.

• When serving food at a buffet, keep hot food over a heat source and keep cold food on ice. Keep platters of food refrigerated until time to serve or heat them.
  
• Carry perishable picnic food in a cooler with a cold pack or ice. Set the cooler in the shade and open the lid as little as possible.
  

• Divide foods into shallow containers for rapid cooling. Put food directly in the refrigerator or freezer.
  
• Cut turkey off the bone and refrigerate. Slice breast meat; legs and wings may be left whole.
  
• Use cooked leftovers within 4 days.
  
• Cut or cooked produce items. such as baked potatoes or vegetable casseroles, should never be left out or held at room temperature for an extended time period.