Whether you're a chef, stay-at-home mom, or food euthanasiast, how food is handled and prepared is extremely important to preventing foodborne infections and food intoxications. As evident with how the coronavirus spread over to humans, millions of people suffer the symptoms of foodborne illnesses when an outbreak occurs. According to the CDC, millions of people are infected with foodborne illnesses every year. Most can be prevented by storing and cooking foods at their proper temperatures and preparing them under sanitary conditions. Here's a brief rundown on how to detect and avoid tainted food items.
| These Foods... | Are Risky When: |
| Fresh poultry | - stored raw in the refrigerator for longer than 1-2 days, (3-4 days for cooked poultry)
- left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours either before or after cooking
|
| Fresh meat | - stored raw in the refrigerator for longer than 3-5 days (1-2 days for hamburger)
- discolored, smelling, slimy
- left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours either before or after cooking
|
| Fresh fish | - stored for longer than 1-2 days in the refrigerator
- dried at edges, smelly
- left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours either before or after cooking
|
| Milk, cream, egg products | - left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours
- stored in the refrigerator longer than 5-7 days
|
| Frozen meats, poultry, fish, casseroles | - thawed at room temperature
- allowed to thaw and be refrozen
- eaten without thorough cooking
|
| Canned foods | - liquid spurts out when can is opened
- can is corroded, rusty, or leaky, swollen on top or bottom, dented on side seams
- contents have off-odors, a foamy or mushy texture
- stored at temperatures above 100° F or allowed to freeze and thaw
|
| Fresh fruits and vegetables |
|
| Cereal products, flour | - moldy, infested with insects
|
When it comes to cooking meat, make sure that it is cooked thoroughly, and use a thermometer. As a safety precaution, you're better off over-cooking the meat rather than risk undercooking it and getting sick. The recommended safe temperatures are:
- Poultry breast and well-done meats: 170˚ F (77 ˚C)
- Stuffing, ground poultry, and reheated leftovers: 165˚ F (74 ˚C)
- Medium-done meats, raw eggs, egg dishes, pork, and ground meat: 160 ˚F (71 ˚C)
- Medium-rare meats, roasts, veal, and lamb: 145˚ F (63 ˚C)
