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CFSAN/Office of Food Safety, Defense, and Outreach
August 24, 2005
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Safe Eats Meat, Poultry & Seafood|Dairy & Eggs|Fruits, Veggies & Juices| Ready-to-Eat Foods|Eating Out & Bringing In ![]() ![]()
Make a Clean Start When you eat out, look at your surroundings before you even sit down. If it's not clean, you should consider eating somewhere else. Also, make sure you wash your hands with soap and warm water before eating. If soap and water aren't available, use alcohol-based wipes or gel formulas to clean your hands.
What's On the Menu? When dining out, remember that harmful bacteria can be hidden in some foods on the menu, so pay close attention to the type of food it is and how it's prepared. Cook Thoroughly, Please
Harmful bacteria can be found in raw or undercooked eggs. Some restaurants may use uncooked eggs in foods like Caesar salad dressing, custards, and some sauces. Avoid foods that might contain raw or undercooked eggs.
Bringing In With meal portions getting bigger, more and more people are packing the doggie bag with leftovers to enjoy later. Take care to handle leftovers, take-out, and delivered foods safely. Leaving A Restaurant With A Doggie Bag?... Handle the leftovers with care. If you won't be arriving home within two hours of being served, don't take the leftovers home with you. And, remember that the inside of a car can get very warm, and bacteria can grow rapidly in foods if they're left in these conditions. To be safe, it's best to go directly home after eating out and put your leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you arrive. A Note About Take-Out Foods... When hot, cooked food is purchased, get the food home quickly and eat it right away. Don't let it sit out at room temperature. Cold foods should be eaten within two hours of preparation. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator or freeze it for eating at another time. Special Delivery... For delivered foods, eat the food within two hours after it arrives to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying. If the food is not going to be eaten within two hours, you can keep it hot in the oven with the temperature set at or above 200° F (93° C). Side dishes, like stuffing, must also be kept hot in the oven. Covering food will help keep it moist while you keep it warm. Check with a food thermometer to make sure that the food is held at an internal temperature of 140° F (60° C).
For the recommended cooking temperatures for foods, See the Apply the Heat (PDF | 20.3KB - also available as JPG | 44.4KB) chart. For the recommended storage times for foods, see the Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart. (PDF | 21.2KB - also available as JPG | 149KB) For information about food safety, call the FDA's Food Information Line at: 1-888-SAFE-FOOD. |