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Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics
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Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential in preventing foodborne illness.
You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food
preparation, follow the four Fight BAC!® guidelines to keep food safe:
- Clean—Wash hands and surfaces often.
- Separate—Don't cross-contaminate.
- Cook—Cook to proper temperatures, checking with a food thermometer.
- Chill—Refrigerate promptly.
Shopping
- Purchase refrigerated or frozen items after selecting your nonperishables.
- Never choose meat or poultry in packaging that is torn or leaking.
- Do not buy food past "Sell-By," "Use-By," or other expiration dates.
Storage
- Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
- Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40 °F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below.
- Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
- Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food.
- To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
- In general, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored unopened on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years-if the unopened can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, and dry place. Discard cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.
Thawing
- Refrigerator—The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing meat and poultry juices do not drip onto other food.
- Cold Water—For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing.
- Microwave—Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.
Preparation
- Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
- Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food. After cutting raw meats, wash cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water.
- Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.
- Sanitize cutting boards by using a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Cooking
Cook foods to the recommended safe minimum internal temperatures listed below. Check temperatures with a food
thermometer. Learn more about using food thermometers on the FSIS Web site or by calling the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline.
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Cooking
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| Product |
Type |
Internal Temperature (°F) |
| Beef & Veal |
Ground |
160 |
| Steak and roasts medium |
160 |
| Steak and roasts medium rare |
145 |
| Chicken & Turkey |
Breasts |
165 |
| Ground, stuffing, and casseroles |
165 |
| Whole bird, legs, thighs, and wings |
165 |
| Eggs |
Any type |
160 |
| Fish & Shellfish |
Any type |
145 |
| Lamb |
Ground |
160 |
| Steak and roasts medium |
160 |
| Steaks and roasts medium rare |
145 |
| Leftovers |
Any type |
165 |
| Pork |
Chops, fresh (raw) ham ground, ribs, and roasts |
160 |
| Fully cooked ham (to reheat) |
140 |
Serving
- Hot food should be held at 140 °F or warmer.
- Cold food should be held at 40 °F or colder.
- When serving food at a buffet, keep hot food hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays.
Keep cold food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often.
- Use a food thermometer to check hot and cold holding temperatures.
- Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
Leftovers
- Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours
(1 hour if the temperature was above 90 °F).
- Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling.
- Use most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. (See chart.)
Refreezing
Meat and poultry defrosted in the refrigerator may be refrozen before or after cooking. If
thawed by other methods, cook before refreezing.
Cold Storage Chart
These storage times will help keep refrigerated (40 °F) food from spoiling or becoming
dangerous to eat. Because freezing at 0 °F or below (not 32 °F) keeps food safe
indefinitely, recommended freezer storage times are for quality only. Use an appliance
thermometer to monitor storage temperatures in the refrigerator and freezer. For more specific
information or for foods not listed here, contact the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline or check the
FSIS Web site.
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Cold Storage Chart |
| Preparation |
Type or Description |
Refrigerate (40
°F) |
Freeze (0 °F)* |
| Beef, Lamb, Pork, Veal |
| Fresh beef, lamb, veal
and pork |
Ground, hamburger, stew meat, variety
meat (tongue, liver, heart, kidney, chitterlings) |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Chops, roasts, steaks |
3-5 days |
4-12 months |
| Chops, pre-stuffed |
1 day |
Does not freeze well |
| Leftovers |
Including casseroles |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Corned Beef |
In pouch, with pickling juices |
5-7 days |
Drained, 1 month |
| Bacon |
Bacon |
7 days |
1 month |
| Ham (Pre-Cooked) |
| Fully Cooked |
Slices |
3-4 days |
1-2 months |
| Half |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Whole |
7 days |
1-2 months |
| Canned Labeled "Keep
Refrigerated" |
Opened |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Unopened |
6-9 months |
Do not freeze |
| Vacuum sealed |
Unopened, fully cooked vacuum sealed,
dated |
"Use-by" date |
1-2 months |
| Unopened, fully cooked vacuum sealed,
undated |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Chicken, Turkey, Other
Poultry |
| Fresh |
Chicken breast, pre-stuffed |
1 day |
Does not freeze well |
| Ground, patties, giblets |
1-2 days |
3-4 months |
| Pieces |
1-2 days |
9 months |
| Whole |
1-2 days |
1 year |
| Leftovers |
Casseroles |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Chicken nuggets, patties |
1-2 days |
1-3 months |
| Pieces, plain or fried |
3-4 days |
4 months |
| Pieces in broth or gravy |
3-4 days |
6 months |
| Eggs |
| Fresh |
In shell |
3-5 weeks |
Do not freeze |
| Yolk, whites |
2-4 days |
1 year |
| Leftovers |
Casserole, quiche, omelet |
3-4 days |
2 months |
| Hard-cooked |
1 week |
Does not freeze well |
| Opened |
Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes |
3 days |
Does not freeze well |
| Unopened |
Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes |
10 days |
1 year |
| Sausages, Lunch Meats |
| Hard Sausage |
Jerky sticks, pepperoni |
2-3 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Raw Sausage |
Beef, chicken, pork, turkey |
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Smoked Sausage |
Breakfast links, patties |
7 days |
1-2 months |
| Lunch Meat |
Deli-sliced or store-prepared |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Opened |
Hot dogs |
1 week |
1-2 months |
| Lunch meat—vacuum-packed,
sliced |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled "keep refrigerated" |
3 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Unopened |
Hot dogs |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Lunch meat—vacuum-packed,
sliced |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Summer sausage labeled "keep refrigerated" |
3 months |
1-2 months |
| Seafood |
| Fresh |
Fish |
1-2 days |
3-8 months |
| Shellfish |
1-2 days |
3-12 months |
| Leftovers |
Fish and shellfish |
3-4 days |
3 months |
| Miscellaneous |
| Frozen Dinners and Entrees |
"Keep frozen" |
Unsafe to thaw |
3-4 months |
| Mayonnaise |
Commercial, "refrigerate after opening" |
2 months |
Do not freeze |
| Other Leftovers |
Gravy and meat broth |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Pizza |
3-4 days |
1-2 months |
| Soups and stews |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Stuffing |
3-4 days |
1 month |
| Salads |
Egg, chicken, ham, macaroni, tuna
(store-prepared, homemade) |
3-5 days |
Does not freeze well |
For More
Food Safety Information, Contact:
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
TTY: 1-800-256-7072
Email: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov
Visit the Web: www.fsis.usda.gov
At the Web site, you can "Ask
Karen." FSIS automated response system can provide food
safety information 24/7. |
Last Modified:
April 25, 2007 |
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