Food safety standards and practices

Food Safety

When shopping for food, one should always follow a few simple rules to ensure health and safety. The first basic rule is to always add refrigerated foods, such as meats and dairy products into the cart last, after canned and packaged goods, such as chips and sugar (Food pp). Make certain to check expiration dates, generally found on front, side or bottom, on all products, especially dairy and meats, and decide whether it will be used before the stamped date (Food pp). When buying fresh beef, pork, poultry or fish, smell the package and if it has a strong odor, do not buy it, regardless of expiration date, and always place meats in plastic bags so they do not leak on other foods and separate them from vegetables and fruit and other foods that may be eaten raw (Food pp). Moreover, do not buy beef that is any shade of brown, nor eggs that are cracked or unclean, fruits with broken skin, un-pasteurized ciders or juices or pre-stuffed turkeys or chickens, all of these products could be contaminated with harmful bacteria (Food pp).

Raw meat, poultry, or fish should be cooked or frozen within two days of purchase (Food pp). Thaw frozen meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature and cook all thawed meat, poultry, and fish immediately (Food pp). Cook meat until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear or until it has an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius), and cook poultry until it is no longer pink or until it has an internal temperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) (Food pp). Make certain to scrub all fruits and veggies with plain water to remove any pesticides or dirt and remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as spinach or lettuce (Food pp). Eggs should not remain at room temperature for more than two hours and should be cooked thoroughly (Food pp). Wash hands thoroughly before handling raw foods and always wash hands and utensils after preparing raw meats, fish and poultry and never put cooked foods on a dish that has previously held raw meats (Food pp). Use separate cutting boards for vegetables and meats, and always wash the boards in hot soapy water (Food pp). Store leftovers in sealed containers, and either eat or freeze within three to five days, however, never freeze any dished that contain uncooked fruit or vegetables, hard-cooked eggs or mayonnaise and eat all frozen leftovers within two months (Food pp). When using the microwave oven, make certain to use only containers that are deemed microwave safe and be certain to follow the package directions for cooking (Food pp).