Safe Food Handling
 Germs cause food to go bad and food can be spoiled even if it looks and smells fine. Bacteria can be present on the food you eat and you might not realize it – it can take one to three days to get sick from eating spoiled food. Here are a few food handling tips to reduce your risk of getting a foodborne illness.
Note: Never keep perishable foods at room temperature for any longer than two hours – including time to prepare, serve and eat!
Clean
Germs can spread in the kitchen from cutting boards, counters, and sponges, so be sure to wash hands, utensils and counters often. Here are some tips on how to fight the germs.
Tip: Use paper towels to clean up kitchen counters and tables since they can easily be disposed of. If you use cloth towels, wash them often in the hot cycle of the washing machine as food and food juices can easily collect and sit in a cloth towel providing a breeding ground for bacteria to grow.
Separate
Germs can spread from one food product to another – don’t cross-contaminate. Be sure to separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing. Do not place cooked food on a plate which previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood.
Cook
Heat kills germs – it is important when cooking to get food hot and keep it hot. Cook food to proper temperatures and use a cooking thermometer to be sure!
- Be careful when using a microwave oven. Make sure the food has no cold spots where germs can live. Cover the food, stir it and rotate the dish once or twice for even cooking.
- Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a boil when you reheat them. Heat other leftovers well – they should reach 165° F.
Chill
The cold helps to slow the growth of germs in food. Set your refrigerator to 40° F or colder and the freezer to 0° F. Check the readings once a month with a refrigerator thermometer. Place all cooked food and leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours, and don’t pack the fridge too full – the cool air must flow freely to keep food safe.
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 Buying and Handling Tips, and Food Storage Charts
Bacteria may be present on products when you purchase them. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs are not sterile. Neither is fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons. Food, including safely cooked, ready-to-eat foods, can become cross-contaminated with bacteria transferred from raw products, meat juices or other contaminated products, or even from food handlers.
- When shopping, pick up meat, poultry, seafood, dairy and other refrigerated or frozen items last.
- Don’t choose meat, fish, poultry or dairy products that feel warm to the touch.
- Place packages that have the potential to leak in plastic bags.
Note: Don't buy food past the expiration date. Many products display a "sell by" or "use by" date on their containers. A sell-by date tells stores how long the product should remain on the shelves. A use-by date is the last date you should consume the product.
Dairy Products and Eggs
Unpasteurized milk and dairy products may contain harmful pathogens and are not safe to drink, eat, or use in making foods. Pasteurization kills the harmful bacteria found in milk, but it may not kill all the bacteria which causes milk to spoil. To prevent the growth of bacteria, keep milk and milk products refrigerated.
Buying Tips
- To guarantee the best flavor and quality, don’t buy products past the “sell by” or “use by” dates.
- Check that products requiring refrigeration are cold when you purchase them in the store.
- Make the dairy aisle one of the last stops in your shopping trip so the items do not become warm in the cart.
Handling Tips
- Refrigerate all dairy products within two hours of purchase.
- Refrigerate all cheeses in their original wrapping until opened. Wrap cheese tightly after use to prevent mold from growing (the only exceptions to this are the blue-vein cheeses, which need “breathing room” and should be loosely wrapped).
- Store dairy products for only the recommended amount of time - use the date on the package as a guide.
- Keep dairy products cool - 40° F or below – while serving. If food needs to sit out for long periods of time, place a container of ice under the food to keep it cold.
- Don’t return unused milk or cream to the original container.
 Egg Safety
- When buying eggs, check the carton to make sure that the eggs are clean and the shells are not cracked.
- Do not wash eggs before storing.
- Store eggs in the original carton on the refrigerator shelf, not in the door where it’s warmer.
- Cooked eggs, and dishes containing eggs, should be served hot, and refrigerated within two hours.
Dairy Product Storage Chart
PDF Version
| Product |
Refrigerated |
Frozen |
| Butter |
1 to 3 months |
6 to 9 months |
| Cheese, hard |
6 months unopened
3 to 4 weeks opened |
6 months |
| Cheese, soft |
1 week |
6 months |
| Egg, shell |
3 to 5 weeks |
Don’t freeze |
| Margarine |
4 to 5 months |
12 months |
| Milk |
7 days |
3 months |
| Sour Cream |
7 to 21 days |
Don’t freeze |
| Yogurt |
7 to 14 days |
1 to 2 months |
 Deli and Freshly Prepared Foods
Hot perishable foods picked up from the deli department need to be kept warm and consumed within two hours. If you purchase hot foods to eat at a later time, place food in shallow containers in small portions and refrigerate or freeze as soon as possible.
Buying Tips
- Buy deli meats in quantities that can be used in three to five days.
- Rely on your senses – touch, sight and smell – to pick up on signs of spoilage:
- Off odors.
- A sticky or tacky surface.
- Off colors (an iridescent sheen is normal on ham and roast beef due to the mineral content).
- Don’t purchase packages or containers with broken or otherwise damaged seals, wraps or lids.
- Your supermarket should frequently check to make sure that ready-to-eat foods, such as soups, are as hot as they should be. Do not purchase lukewarm food.
Handling Tips
- Frozen and refrigerated prepared foods usually come with explicit directions on defrosting and cooking. Read and follow the package instructions.
- Thoroughly cook or reheat all refrigerated prepared foods to an internal temperature of 165° F.
- Follow the two-hour limit in leaving prepared salads out of the refrigerator. In the summertime shorten the two-hour rule. Even though it looks great to spread all the food out on the picnic table, it’s safer to keep cold foods in coolers until right before eating.
Deli Product Storage Chart
PDF Version
| Product |
Refrigerated |
Frozen |
| Cold salads |
3 to 5 days |
Don’t freeze |
| Meats covered with gravy or broth |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Olives |
2 weeks |
Don’t freeze |
| Rotisserie chicken |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
| Sour cream dips |
2 weeks |
Don’t freeze |
| Store-sliced deli meats |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
 Fresh Produce
Harmful bacteria that may be in the soil or water where produce grows may come in contact with fruits and vegetables and contaminate them. Or, fresh produce may become contaminated after it is harvested, such as during preparation or storage. Eating contaminated produce (or fruit and vegetable juices made from contaminated produce) can lead to foodborne illness.
Buying Tips
- Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.
- Bag produce separately from meat, poultry and seafood products.
- When buying fresh-cut produce, such as half a melon or bagged mixed salad greens, choose only those items that are refrigerated or completely surrounded by ice.
Handling Tips
- All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should immediately be refrigerated to maintain both quality and safety. Do not wash produce before storing them in the refrigerator – moisture can cause them to mold and rot.
- All produce should be thoroughly washed before eating, cutting or cooking.
- Cut away any damaged or bruised areas before preparing and/or eating.
- Pre-cut, bagged produce that is “pre-washed” can be used without further washing. However, pre-cut/pre-washed produce in open bags should be washed before using.
Fresh Produce Storage Chart
PDF Version
| Product |
Refrigerated |
Frozen |
| FRUITS |
|
|
| Apples |
3 weeks |
Cooked, 8 months |
| Berries, cherries |
1 to 2 days |
4 months |
| Melons |
3 to 4 days |
Balls, 1 month |
| Pears, plums |
3 to 4 days |
Don’t freeze |
| VEGETABLES |
|
|
| Carrots |
2 weeks |
10 to 12 months |
| Lettuce, leaf |
3 to 7 days |
Don’t freeze |
| Mushrooms |
2 to 3 days |
10 to 12 months |
| Onion, dry |
2 months |
10 to 12 months |
| Tomatoes |
2 to 3 days |
2 months |
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 Meat and Poultry
When handling meat, poultry and seafood, be sure to keep their juices away from other foods. When shopping, place these items in plastic bags to avoid potential leaks and cross contamination.
Buying Tips
- Observe product dating. Purchase perishable foods before the “sell by” date expires. Some manufacturers may post a “use-by” or “best-if-used-by” date on products. Follow that date at home.
- Don’t buy packages that have been opened or damaged – open packages or seals invite bacterial contamination.
- Choose ground meat packages that are cold and tightly wrapped. The meat surface exposed to air will be red; interior of fresh meat will be dark.
Handling Tips
- Store meat and poultry in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
- Wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after handling any raw meat, poultry or seafood.
- Defrost frozen meat and poultry in the refrigerator; under cold running water in airtight packaging; or in the microwave. Never thaw at room temperature, in the sink or on the counter!
- Always marinate items in the refrigerator – never at room temperature.
- Always use separate plates for raw and cooked meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to be sure meat and poultry reach a safe temperature.
- Turn meats over at least once when cooking.
Meat and Poultry Storage Chart
PDF Version
| Product |
Refrigerated |
Frozen |
| MEAT, raw (fresh) |
|
|
| Roasts, steaks or chops |
3 to 5 days |
4 to 12 months |
| Ground meat |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 4 months |
| MEAT (smoked or processed) |
|
|
| Bacon |
7 days |
1 month |
| Ham, fully cooked, whole |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Hot dogs (after opening) |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Lunch meats (sealed in package) |
2 weeks |
1 to 2 months |
| Lunch meats (after opening) |
3 to 5 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Sausage, raw |
1 to 2 days |
1 to 2 months |
| POULTRY (fresh) |
|
|
| Whole |
1 to 2 days |
6 to 12 months |
| Parts |
1 to 2 days |
9 months |
| POULTRY (cooked) |
|
|
| Nuggets, patty |
1 to 2 days |
1 to 3 months |
| Ground |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Fried chicken |
3 to 4 days |
4 months |
Note: The color of cooked meat and poultry is not a sure sign of its degree of doneness. For instance, hamburgers and fresh pork can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160° F (71° C) or higher. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink because components within the smoke bind to the muscle pigment to form a stable pink pigment. Only by using a food thermometer can you accurately determine that meat has reached a safe internal temperature.
 Seafood
Buying from a retailer who follows proper food handling practices helps assure that the seafood you buy is safe – and helps maintain the quality of the seafood, too. Be sure to check out a market’s seafood counter carefully and follow these tips on seafood safety.
Buying Tips
- A fish’s eyes should be bright and clear.
- Scales should be shiny and the fish should have bright pink or red gills and be free from slime.
- If it smells “fishy,” don’t buy it!
- Frozen fish should not be freezer burned, covered with ice crystals, or have an off color.
- Only buy fresh shellfish that are alive. Shells of live clams, mussels and oysters will close tightly when tapped. Live crabs and lobsters will show some leg movement and live lobsters will curl their tails tightly beneath them when handled.
- Be sure that frozen shellfish are packed in close-fitting, moisture-proof containers.
Handling Tips
- Store fresh fish in its original wrapper and keep in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
- Live fish should be refrigerated in containers covered with clean, damp cloths – not airtight lids. Throw away shellfish that die.
- Canned seafood should be stored in a cool, dry place. Do not buy or use dented, bulging, rusted or leaking containers.
- Defrost seafood in the refrigerator; in cold running water in airtight packaging; or in the microwave. Cook microwave thawed seafood immediately!
- Rinse seafood in cold running water to help remove any surface bacteria.
Seafood Storage Chart
PDF Version
| Product |
Refrigerated |
Frozen |
| FRESH FISH |
|
|
| Lean fish |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Fatty fish |
1 to 2 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Cooked fish |
3 to 4 days |
4 to 6 months |
| SMOKED FISH |
14 days or date on vacuum package |
2 months in vacuum package |
| FRESH SHELLFISH |
|
|
| Shrimp, scallops, squid, shucked clams, mussels and oysters |
1 to 2 days |
3 to 6 months |
| CANNED SEAFOOD |
After opening, 3 to 4 days |
Out of can, 2 months |
Note: Never keep canned or “pantry” foods for more than 5 years.
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