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Food Safety in the Kitchen: A "HACCP" Approach
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Processing plants will
be required to test meat and poultry for bacteria under new
USDA rules intended to reduce disease-producing organisms known
as "pathogens." The plants must implement HACCP (Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Points) systems as a means of controlling
their processes to prevent microbial contamination.
Even though HACCP in the plants will significantly reduce pathogens
on meat and poultry products, these foods will not be sterile.
While it's not practical to do microbial testing in home kitchens,
the HACCP approach is also valid to help the consumer learn
and practice safe food handling and preparation of all meat
and poultry at home.
The improved inspection system will not replace good sanitation
and safe food handling in the home. Consumers must still share
in the responsibility for safe food and safe food handling.
Meat and poultry which are properly handled and cooked at home
should be safe.
About the New Rule
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is pursuing
a broad and long-term science-based strategy to improve the
safety of meat and poultry products and to better protect the
public health. Part of this strategy is a farm-to-table approach
to improve the safety of meat and poultry at each step in the
food production, distribution, and marketing chain.
As a result, FSIS has published new regulations to modernize
USDA's meat and poultry inspection system. Part of these regulations
include a HACCP system of process controls to prevent food safety
hazards.
HACCP focuses on problem prevention. It involves taking a look
at processes or food handling practices and identifying critical
control points, or steps, where failure to take appropriate
action is most likely to result in foodborne illness.
What Does HACCP Mean to the Consumer in the Home?
Recent surveys show that consumers are more aware these days
of food safety issues. According to Bessie Berry, Manager of
USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, "A recent Associated Press
poll revealed that 89% of those surveyed said they follow the
safety handling instructions on raw meat and poultry products.
The safe handling instructions are really part of a HACCP approach
which starts in the store and continues in the home." But do
consumers really understand what hazards and critical control
points are? As in the meat and poultry plants, potential hazards
in the home can be divided into three categories:
- biological (bacteria);
- chemical (cleaning agents); and
- physical (equipment).
This focus will be on the biological hazards, or foodborne bacteria,
which can lead to illness if the food is mishandled, particularly
for those more at risk -- the very young, the elderly and the
immuno-compromised.
Certain processes or handling practices by consumers in the
home have been identified as being essential or critical in
preventing foodborne illness. These practices, which prevent
or control the "dinner plate" microbial contamination associated
with foodborne illness, are under the direct control of the
consumer, from food acquisition through disposal.
They are purchasing, storing, pre-preparation, cooking, serving,
and handling leftovers. Failure to take appropriate action at
these critical points could result in foodborne illness.
Critical Point 1: Purchasing
- Purchase meat and poultry products last and keep packages
of raw meat and poultry separate from other foods, particularly
foods that will be eaten without further cooking. Consider
using plastic bags to enclose individual packages of raw
meat and poultry.
- Make sure meat and poultry products -- whether raw, pre-packaged,
or from the deli -- are refrigerated when purchased.
- USDA strongly advises against purchasing fresh, pre-stuffed
whole birds.
- Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks or bulging
lids.
- Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You
may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables. Always
refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate
within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F.
Critical Point 2: Home Storage
- Verify the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer
with an appliance thermometer -- refrigerators should run
at 40 °F or below; freezers at 0 °F. Most foodborne
bacteria grow slowly at 40 °F, a safe refrigerator temperature.
Freezer temperatures of 0 °F stop bacterial growth.
- At home, refrigerate or freeze meat and poultry immediately.
- To prevent raw juices from dripping on other foods in
the refrigerator, use plastic bags or place meat and poultry
on a plate.
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and
after handling any raw meat, poultry, or seafood products.
- Store canned goods in a cool, clean dry place. Avoid extreme
heat or cold which can be harmful to canned goods.
- Never store any foods directly under a sink and always
keep foods off the floor and separate from cleaning supplies.
Critical Point 3: Pre-Preparation
- The importance of hand washing cannot be overemphasized.
This simple practice is the most economical, yet often forgotten
way to prevent contamination or cross-contamination.
- Wash hands (gloved or not) with soap and water for 20
seconds: before beginning preparation; after handling raw
meat, poultry, seafood or eggs; after touching animals;
after using the bathroom; after changing diapers; or after
blowing the nose.
- Don't let juices from raw meat, poultry or seafood come
in contact with cooked foods or foods that will be eaten
raw, such as fruits or salad ingredients.
- Wash hands, counters, equipment, utensils, and cutting
boards with soap and water immediately after use. Counters,
equipment, utensils and cutting boards can be sanitized
with a chlorine solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid
chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water. Let the solution stand
on the board after washing, or follow the instructions on
sanitizing products.
- Thaw in the refrigerator, Never On the Counter. It is
also safe to thaw in cold water in an airtight plastic wrapper
or bag, changing the water every 30 minutes till thawed.
Or, thaw in the microwave and cook the product immediately.
- Marinate foods in the refrigerator, Never On the Counter.
- USDA recommends that if you choose to stuff whole poultry,
it is critical that you use a meat thermometer to check
the internal temperature of the stuffing. The internal temperature
in the center of the stuffing should reach 165 °F before
removing it from the oven. Lacking a meat thermometer, cook
the stuffing outside the bird.
Critical Point 4: Pre-Cooking
- Always cook thoroughly. If harmful bacteria are present,
only thorough cooking will destroy them; freezing or rinsing
the foods in cold water is not sufficient to destroy bacteria.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine if your meat or poultry
or casserole has reached a safe internal temperature. Check
the product in several spots to assure that a safe temperature
has been reached and that harmful bacteria like Salmonella
and certain strains of E. coli have been destroyed.
- Avoid interrupted cooking. Never refrigerate partially
cooked products to later finish cooking on the grill or
in the oven. Meat and poultry products must be cooked thoroughly
the first time and then they may be refrigerated and safely
reheated later.
- When microwaving foods, carefully follow manufacturers
instructions. Use microwave-safe containers, cover, rotate,
and allow for the standing time, which contributes to thorough
cooking.
Critical Point 5: Serving:
- Wash hands with soap and water before serving or eating
food.
- Serve cooked products on clean plates with clean utensils
and clean hands. Never put cooked foods on a dish that has
held raw products unless the dish is washed with soap and
hot water.
- Hold hot foods above 140 °F and cold foods below 40
°F.
- Never leave foods, raw or cooked, at room temperature
longer than 2 hours. On a hot day with temperatures above
90 °F, this decreases to 1 hour.
Critical Point 6: Handling Leftovers:
- Wash hands before and after handling leftovers. Use clean
utensils and surfaces.
- Divide leftovers into small units and store in shallow
containers for quick cooling. Refrigerate within 2 hours
of cooking.
- Discard anything left out too long.
- Never taste a food to determine if it is safe.
- When reheating leftovers, reheat thoroughly to a temperature
of 165 °F or until hot and steamy. Bring soups, sauces
and gravies to a rolling boil.
- If in doubt, throw it out.
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Last Modified:
August 18, 2006 |
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