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Eat Right and Join the Fight Against Foodborne Bacteria
The Safe Food Chart
MEAT, POULTRY, and SEAFOOD
FOOD SAFETY IMPLICATIONS
Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
Foods rich in protein, such as meat, poultry, and seafood, are more frequently involved in foodborne illness outbreaks than non-protein-rich foods for 2 reasons:
1. Protein-rich foods tend to be of animal origin, and the bacteria from the animals can be found in these foods.
2. Animal foods are rich in proteins, which are an important nutrient source for some bacteria.
In addition, if hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and surfaces are not thoroughly and properly cleaned after coming in contact with these raw foods, the bacteria from these foods can be transferred to ready-to-eat foods.
HUMAN PATHOGEN ASSOCIATIONS
FOOD SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
(ALL MEAT, POULTRY, AND SEAFOOD)
Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
If cooked meat and poultry look pink, does it mean that the food is not done? 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. Do I have to cut off the government grade or inspection stamp on meat before cooking it? No, the ink stamp is a harmless vegetable dye. Therefore, it is safe to eat. What gives a slice of ham an iridescent sheen? Is this a sign of food spoilage bacteria? The glistening, greenish, rainbowlike color that appears from a cut surface of a ham slice is a sign of oxidation and not necessarily spoilage. When the meat is exposed to oxygen or light, some of the nitrate-modified iron content of the meat undergoes a chemical change that alters the ham's pigmentation. How can I tell if fish is fresh?
To be sure the safety of seafood is being properly preserved, only buy fish that is refrigerated or properly iced. Fish should be displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice that is not melting, and preferably in a case or under some type of cover.
Is it safe to eat Japanese foods like sushi and sashimi? It depends. People in the at-risk groups should not eat raw or partially cooked fish or shellfish. Sashimi is a Japanese specialty that always has raw fish, but not all sushi contains raw seafood. Some sushi is completely vegetarian. The two main safety concerns for people who eat raw or uncooked seafood are parasites and harmful microorganisms. Parasites in some undercooked fish species can harm both healthy and at-risk people. Commercially-prepared raw fish species that can harbor parasites may have been previously frozen to kill any parasites, but not all such fish may have been treated. However, freezing does not kill all harmful microorganisms. It is always best to cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. (For more information on raw fish consumption, see Raw Finfish and Shellfish below.) |
FOOD SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
(SPECIFIC FOODS)
Ground Meat
Meat can have harmful bacteria on the surface from the slaughter process, equipment from the processing plant, or germs on hands, utensils, or kitchen surfaces. When meat is "ground up" at the supermarket and handled at home, this surface bacteria can end up inside the meat. This is what makes ground beef, for example, particularly at risk for E. coli O157:H7 contamination.
Proper cooking will kill harmful bacteria on the surface of a solid cut of meat, such as steak, because the surface gets direct heat. However, harmful bacteria on the inside of the meat are less likely to be killed by cooking if proper internal temperatures are not achieved.
That's why it's important to be especially careful that the internal temperature of ground meat reaches a high enough degree to kill bacteria. To destroy harmful bacteria that may be present in ground meat:
Pork
Consumers may contract trichinosis (a disease caused by the parasite Trichinella spiralis) from eating undercooked pork. Pork must be cooked to a safe internal temperature to eliminate disease-causing parasites and bacteria that may be present.
Poultry
Bacteria can be found on raw or undercooked chicken. To keep poultry safe:
Raw Finfish and Shellfish
(including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops)
Generally, seafood is very safe to eat, but raw or undercooked seafood can be unsafe.
Seafood grown or collected from contaminated water can get colonized by viruses in the water. Shellfish foods, such as oysters, pump a lot of water through their bodies each day and filter out microorganisms. Thus, they are very likely to collect viruses from the water. Some oysters, for example, are eaten raw or lightly cooked, which increases the risk of foodborne illness. And viruses are not the only culprits. Bacteria and parasites are threats to raw seafood, as well. To keep seafood safe:
It's always best to cook seafood thoroughly to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. However, for people who choose to eat raw fish anyway, one rule of thumb is to eat fish that has been previously frozen. Some species of fish can contain parasites, and freezing will kill any parasites that may be present. However, freezing does not kill all harmful microorganisms, so the safest route is to cook seafood.
Some people are at greater risk for foodborne illness, and should not eat raw or partially cooked fish or shellfish. These susceptible groups include: pregnant women, young children, older adults, people whose immune systems are compromised, and people who have decreased stomach acidity.
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Food Safety A to Z Reference Guide
Hypertext updated by kwg/dms/cjm/ear/dav 2008-JUL-03