I heard that September is National Food Safety Education Month. Is there anything going on to mark that?
There is going to be a "Food Safety Training for Commercial and Home Use" from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 22 in Building 21 at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds. Anyone interested in food safety issues and preventing food borne illness is welcome and encouraged to attend. The presenters are going to address topics on what's hot in food safety issues, the new Kansas Food Code, the importance of personal hygiene, preparing and serving safe foods, critical temperatures when cooking potentially hazardous foods and how to clean and sanitize your kitchen and equipment.
Instead of being designed in a lecture format, the training is going to be a hands-on approach to teaching the important components of food safety. The program presenters are experts in the field of food safety education and include Roger Ozias, a food and drug investigator from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Kathy Colson, public health nurse with the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department; and me, from K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County. Autochor, Inc. will provide refreshments.
This will be a great opportunity for food-service employees, as well as individuals, to get up-to-date on how to handle food safely. Certificates of attendance will be provided for those interested.
There is no pre-registration to attend this free educational program so make plans now to participate.
For more information, contact me at K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 843-7058.
Incidentally, the theme for National Food Safety Education Month is "Cook it Safely: It's a Matter of Degrees." It emphasizes the importance of learning to use kitchen thermometers to simplify food storage and cooking.
Take this true-false to test your food safety savvy.
1. One should buy frozen food that is frozen solid.
2. The temperature inside the refrigerator should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
3. If the power goes out, one should open refrigerator and freezer doors to check on food.
4. One should buy products with labels that say "Keep refrigerated" only if they are refrigerated.
5. Store leftovers in the pans they were cooked in.
6. Marinating meats and poultry kills potentially harmful bacteria that may be present.
7. Reheat leftovers in a take-home box.
8. Ground beef is cooked when it's browned.
9. A casserole that has been made ahead and refrigerated will require a longer cooking time.
10. Taste leftovers to make sure they are safe to eat.
Answers
1. True. Buy only frozen foods that are frozen solid. Make the trip to the store the last errand. Once home, store frozen foods promptly. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or according to package directions. Frozen foods also may be thawed by a cold water method (change water every 30 minutes), or in a microwave oven. Follow the oven manufacturer's and food package directions. Once food has been thawed in a microwave, the cooking process has begun and must be completed.
2. True. Use a refrigerator or freezer thermometer to monitor interior temperature. Refrigerator temperature should be 40 degrees or colder. Freezer temperature should be 0 degrees.
3. False. When power is interrupted, keep doors closed to maintain food quality and safety. Food in the refrigerator or freezer should hold for a few hours. When a freezer or freezing compartment fails, transfer frozen foods to a cooler or other freezer. Refreeze foods that are still frozen -- look for evidence of ice crystals. Foods that are well chilled can be cooked and eaten. Discard any foods that have warmed or have an unusual or "off" flavor, color or texture.
4. True. Buy fresh-dated refrigerated products that are well-chilled. Do not buy foods that are lukewarm. Some foods, like mayonnaise, should be refrigerated after opening. Read labels to check food storage instructions.
5. False. To speed cooling, transfer cooked leftovers to shallow pans; cover and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours after cooking. If environmental temperatures are 90 degrees or warmer, hold cooked foods no longer than one hour before reheating, refrigerating or freezing.
6. False. A marinade usually is used as a flavor enhancer or meat tenderizer; it does not kill potentially harmful bacteria.
Marinate meat and poultry in a shallow pan with a cover in the refrigerator. Do not marinate foods on the counter or outside, near the barbecue grill. Discard marinades after use. Occasionally, recipe directions call for marinades to be transferred to a saucepan, heated to boiling, and cooked to serve as an accent to the entree. Follow recipe directions exactly. Do not reuse marinades.
7. False. Leftovers should be reheated only in oven-safe and microwave-safe containers. When heated, some containers may leave a chemical residue on food.
8. False. The recommendations for cooking ground beef have changed. Researchers at Kansas Sate University have determined that not all ground beef browns at the same rate. That means that ground beef may be brown and look done, but may not have reached 160 degrees, which is the temperature recommended to kill potentially harmful bacteria that may be present on the meat. Using a meat thermometer is the only sure way to tell if meats and poultry are cooked to recommended temperatures.
9. True. One-dish meals or other entrees that have been prepared in advance and refrigerated usually require a longer -- perhaps 30 to 45 minutes -- cooking time. Pan size and the density of the food will influence the length of cooking time. Follow recipe directions; check safe-to-eat temperature in the middle of the casserole with a kitchen thermometer.
10. False. If a leftover or any other food is suspect, do not taste it. To keep leftovers safe, place cooked leftovers in small, shallow containers with a cover within two hours after cooking. Label and date. Place in refrigerator or freezer, leaving airspace around containers to speed chilling. Before serving, reheat soups, stews, gravies, and sauces to a rolling boil; stir frequently. Reheat other cooked foods to 165 degrees. Reheat leftovers only once. Reheating and cooling leftovers more than once can diminish food quality and increase food safety concerns.
-- Susan Krumm is an Extension agent in family and consumer sciences with K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 2110 Harper. She can be reached at 843-7058.
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