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Life is too short to eat bad food! Sharing great recipes, farm life, stories and photography from our Northern California dairy farm.

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June 30, 2011

Food Safety Tips~Keep your holiday weekend Food Safe!

I am  frequently amazed by the ideas and information I gain just by having a Twitter account.  Today, for a short time I was following the hashtag #checksteps, which happened to be all about food safety and I thought, perfect for this upcoming holiday weekend as well as all summer long.

Here are some of the food safety tips and reminders I found useful:

  • Most foodborne bacteria grow fastest between 90-110 F degrees.  Bacteria also needs moisture to flourish.
  • For safety, small children are at high risk for pathogens. FULLY COOK all meat/poultry before serving; 145 F degrees for beef/pork/veal/lamb, 160 F degrees for ground meats, 165 F degrees for all poultry.  Here's a link to the food temp chart.
  • Don't wash food thermometers in the dishwasher, use hot soapy water.

  • Like all perishables, leave mayo-based foods at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot weather.
  • If there's no access to running water, keep lots of towelettes and hand sanitizer around so everyone can keep their hands clean.
  • Use the 2 hour rule; chill food when left out no longer than two hours at room temperature, or within one hour if outdoors in high heat.  Discard if left out longer.
  • Use two platters and food thermometers; one for raw food and one for cooked food.
  • Cook casseroles to 165 F and keep temperature at 140 F or higher.  Wrapping them in newspaper or a blanket helps trap heat if traveling a short distance.
  • First, call a doctor or 911 for problems. And, here's a resource for reporting a food poisoning problem, you could help someone else!
  • Some foodborne illnesses can lead to long-term conditions like arthritis, 3,000 Americans die each year from foodborne illnesses.  Long-term effects of food poisoning
  • Here's a link for info on alcohol poisoning

More helpful links include:
Meat and Poultry Hotline:  1-888-MPHotline  weekdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. EST.
Karen from USDA is available 24/7 at AskKaren.gov OR m.AskKaren.gov on your mobile phone.

I hope your holiday weekend is a safe one!  Enjoy!

Images used in this post borrowed from Google Image.


Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to leave a comment, I love to hear from you!. Have a fantastic day!


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5 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

oh, great reminders for this outdoor eating holiday weekend!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Really good reminders to always keep in mind!!!! THANKS for posting and I hope you have a wonderful and enjoyable weekend!!

Maureen said...

These are things we all know but often forget. Thanks!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Whew. I think it might be too early in the morning for food poisoning posts ;-) Thanks for the tips!

Prairie Rose said...

Great tips and reminders!
Thanks!