Is Your Kitchen a Safe One?

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It's National Food Safety Education Month, and the USDA wants to remind you that you can prevent foodborne illness at home. The mantra? Clean, separate, cook, chill.

Clean

• Wash your hands and surfaces often.
• Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables with running tap water before you eat them.
• Wash your hands before you make or eat a snack or meal, after playing with pets and after using the bathroom.
• Always use clean knives, forks, spoons and plates.
• Always use a clean plate. Cooked foods should not be placed on the same plate that held raw meat, poultry or fish.
• Only put food on clean surfaces. Never put your sandwiches or snacks on a dirty table or counter.
• Put backpacks and books on the floor. Don't put them on the kitchen table or counters. (Editor's Note: This one was aimed children.)

Separate

• Keep raw meat and poultry apart from foods that won't be cooked.
• Wash hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds.
• Always wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry and seafood.

Cook

• Use a food thermometer — you can't tell food is cooked safely by how it looks.
• Always cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature: beef, lamb, and veal steaks, roasts and chops to 145 F; chicken and turkey — whole, pieces or ground to 165 F; ground beef, including hamburgers, to 160 F; cook leftovers to 165 F.
• Always place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food, away from bone and fat to check the temperature.
• When cooking in a microwave oven, stir, cover, and rotate food for even cooking. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature in the food in several places.
• Let food sit for a few minutes after cooking it in the microwave.
• Always cook eggs before eating them. When cooked, eggs should be firm, not runny.

Chill

• Chill leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours and keep the fridge at 40 F or below.
• Some foods that need to stay cold include: sandwiches or salads made with meat and poultry; tuna and egg salad; milk, cheese, and yogurt; peeled or cut fruits and vegetables.
• Use an insulated lunch box or bag to keep food cold at school.
• Keep your lunch in the coolest place possible. Never leave it in direct sun.
• Add a frozen gel pack or frozen juice box, or use a thermos to keep food cold.

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