Food Safety For YOU! 2007 Edition

The "411" On the 4 Cs!

COOK

Cook to Proper Temperatures

CLEAN   |   COOK   |   SEPARATE   |   CHILL

Cooking food safely is a matter of degrees! 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 that cause foodborne illness. This temperature can vary from food to food, too.

The best way to keep your food safe is to use these "hot" food safety TIPS.

Cook It Right . . .
Color is not a sure indicator of whether food is safe to eat. The only way to know that meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods are properly cooked all the way through is to use a clean food thermometer.

Ground Beef
Oftentimes, when meat is "ground up" to make hamburger, bacteria that may have been present on the surface of the meat can end up inside the burger. When this happens, bacteria are less likely to be killed by cooking if the proper temperature is not achieved.

Cook ground beef to at least 160° F (71° C). Use a food thermometer to check. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link eating undercooked, pink ground beef with a higher risk of illness. If a thermometer is not available, do not eat ground beef that is still pink inside.

Meat and Poultry
Cook roasts and steaks to an internal temperature of at least 145° F (63° C). Poultry should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165° F (74° C). Consumers may wish to cook poultry to a higher temperature for personal preference.

Seafood
Cook fish until it's opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Eggs
Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm. Don't use recipes in which eggs remain raw or partially cooked, unless you use pasteurized eggs.

Leftovers
Leftovers should be reheated to 165° F (74° C). Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.

Should I wash raw meat, poultry, or seafood before cooking it? Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, or seafood before cooking is not recommended. Although washing these raw food items may get rid of some of the pathogens, it also allows the pathogens to spread around the kitchen. Cooking these foods to a safe internal temperature destroys any bacteria that may be present. Also, don't forget to wash your hands with hot, soapy water before, in between, and after preparing these foods. (See the "Apply the Heat" chart  for recommended cooking temperatures.) How do microwaves work? Microwaves are very-high-frequency radio waves that swing back and forth at a frequency of about 2 billion cycles per second. During this process, they make certain molecules move, and once they're moving, they're hot. Microwaves enter food from the outside, and penetrate instantly into a chunk of food, heating and cooking as they go.

In 1945, Dr. Percy Spencer, a grade school-educated engineer, thought up the idea for the microwave when he found that magnetron waves from one of his radar experiments melted a chocolate bar in his pocket.

When cooking or reheating foods in the microwave, keep these TIPS in mind: Cover food with plastic wrap or a glass covering and add a little liquid to food. This creates steam, which readily kills pathogens. To ensure uniform heating, turn the dish several times during cooking. Stir soups and stews periodically during reheating to ensure even heating. When done cooking, make sure the food is hot and steaming. Use a food thermometer and test the food in 2 or 3 different areas to verify that it has reached a safe internal temperature (see the "Apply the Heat" chart  for the recommended cooking temperatures). When defrosting food in the microwave, cook the food immediately. When you thaw food in the microwave, some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during the defrosting process. The internal temperature of the food probably hasn't reached the temperature needed to destroy bacteria and, indeed, may have reached optimal temperatures for bacteria to grow. So don't let the food sit in the danger zone!

Microwave Musts
We all enjoy the benefits of using the microwave for cooking and reheating foods in minutes, even seconds. However, microwaves often cook food unevenly, thus creating hot and cold spots in the food.

Bacteria can survive in the cold spots. This uneven cooking occurs because the microwaves bounce around the oven irregularly. Microwaves also heat food elements like fats, sugars, and liquids more quickly than carbohydrates and proteins. Extra care must be taken to even out the cooking so that harmful bacteria is destroyed.

In terms of saving cooking time, the development of the microwave oven has been a tremendous asset for American households. Today, an estimated 90% of households in the United States have microwave ovens.

It's a Matter of Degrees! Use a food thermometer to make sure foods have been properly cooked to a safe internal temperature. An added plus - taking the temperature assures that you won't overcook your food! Here are several types of thermometers that are available.
Dial Oven-Safe: This type of thermometer is inserted into the food at the beginning of the cooking time and remains in the food throughout the cooking. By checking the thermometer as the food cooks, you will know exactly when the meat is properly cooked. This oven-safe thermometer is used for thick cuts of meat, such as roasts or turkeys. It's not appropriate for thin foods, like boneless chicken breast, because the temperature-sensing coil on the stem is between 2 and 21/2 inches long and the stem is relatively thick.	Dial Instant-Read: This thermometer is used to periodically check the temperature. It's not designed to stay in the food during cooking. When you think food is cooked to the correct temperature, check it with the instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, to the point marked on the probe - usually to a depth of 2 inches. About 15 to 20 seconds are required for the temperature to be accurately displayed. An instant-read thermometer can be used with thin foods, such as chicken breasts or thin hamburger patties - simply insert the probe sideways, making sure the tip of the probe reaches the center of the meat.	Digital Instant-Read: This thermometer is used to periodically check the temperature. It does not stay in the food during cooking. Check the temperature when you think the food is cooked. The advantage of the digital thermometer is that the heat-sensing device is in the tip of the probe. Place the tip of the probe in the center of the thickest part of the food at least 1/2 inch deep. About 10 seconds are all that's required for the temperature to be accurately displayed. The Digital Instant-Read thermometer is good to use for checking the temperature of a thick food like turkey or a thick hamburger patty. Insert the probe from the top or sideways to a depth of 1/2 inch.	Pop-up Timers: These are reliable within 1 to 2 degrees, but it's best to check using a food thermometer. 1 out of every 4 hamburgers turns brown before it's been cooked to a safe internal temperature. Color is not a sure indicator of whether food is safe to eat. Always use a food thermometer.

CLEAN   |   COOK   |   SEPARATE   |   CHILL

Food Safety A to Z Reference Guide