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October 2003 |
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In today's world, we're all being more cautious as we go about our daily routines. And, this caution should also extend to the foods we purchase.
The deliberate tampering of food to cause major disease outbreaks is rare, particularly in the United States. However, recent news events have focused attention on the increasing possibility of such tampering.
As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is enhancing its surveillance of foodborne disease and increasing the inspection of domestic and foreign food-processing plants. The food industry is also stepping up safety measures to ensure that its products are produced as safely as possible.
As a consumer, you also play a role in preventing illness due to food tampering. Follow these tips to keep you and your family safe.
How to detect product tampering
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How to detect product tampering
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Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces in hot, soapy water before and after food preparation and especially after preparing meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood.
Did you
know?
Twenty percent of consumers don't wash hands and kitchen surfaces before preparing
food. Clean hands and surfaces are your first step in safe food handling.
Cross-contamination is how bacteria can be spread from one food to another. This is especially true when handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood, so keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
Place cooked food on a clean plate. If you put cooked food on an unwashed plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood, bacteria from the raw food could contaminate the cooked food.
Did you
know?
After marinating raw meat, poultry, or seafood, the marinade can be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Don't taste the marinade or use it on cooked foods unless you boil it first.
Food safety experts agree that foods are properly cooked when they're heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
To make sure meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods are cooked all the way through, use a clean food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods.
Did you
know?
Roasts and steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F; chicken breast to 170°F; and whole poultry to 180°F (take the temperature in the thigh).
Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. So, set your refrigerator no higher than 40° F and the freezer unit at 0° F. Check these temperatures occasionally with an appliance thermometer.
Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Don't thaw foods at room temperature. Safely thaw food (1) in the refrigerator, (2) in cold water (change the water every half-hour to keep the water cold), or (3) in the microwave if you'll be cooking the food immediately.
Did you
know?
Twenty-three percent of consumers' refrigerators are not cold enough.