Food Safety
Food poisoning
Food safety is something that most people don’t think about until they or someone they know gets sick from eating contaminated food. Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, is a common but preventable problem. Every year, about 48 million Americans come down with a foodborne illness. Of those cases, 128,000 will require hospitalization and 3,000 will prove fatal. In most affected persons, the symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, but in some cases, such life-threatening complications as organ failure occur. Young children, pregnant women, adults over 65, and people with weak immune systems are more likely to get food poisoning, and if they do get sick they might have more severe symptoms. Be sure to see a physician or health-care provider if you or a family member has a high fever, blood in the stools or signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or throat or a dizzy feeling when you stand up.
Say “no” to raw dough
You’ve got all the family in the kitchen, baking up a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies, and one of the children asks if they can eat some raw cookie dough. When it comes to raw dough, just say no. Flour, no matter what brand you buy, may contain bacteria that can cause disease. In 2016, investigators from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked outbreaks of e. coli infections around the country to flour, some of which had been sold to restaurants that allowed children to play with raw dough while waiting for their meals. Ten million pounds of flour were recalled, including unbleached, all-purpose and self-rising varieties. To ensure your health and the health of your loved ones, do not eat any raw dough or batter that is supposed to be cooked or baked. And be sure to thoroughly wash your hands and any work surfaces or utensils that come into contact with flour or raw dough products.
Shopping and storing
The first step in protecting yourself and your family from a foodborne illness is purchasing and storing food safely. Be sure to shop for refrigerated or frozen items last, after you have selected your non-perishables. Never buy meat or poultry in packaging that is torn or leaking. And never buy anything past a “Use by,” “Sell by” or any other expiration dates. Always refrigerate perishables within two hours of purchasing, or one hour if the outside temperature is above 90 degrees. Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats and variety meats within two days, beef, lamb, or pork within three to five days of purchase. Never purchase anything in a can that is dented or rusted. Perishable food should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food. And to maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap recommended for the freezer.
Wash your hands
You’ve probably been told it’s a good thing to wash your hands regularly during cold and flu season. It’s also a good idea to wash your hands before and after handling food. Washing them for at least 20 seconds in warm, soapy water is good for you and anyone you will serving food to as well. And always wash any cutting boards, utensils or counter tops with hot, soapy water. Do this after working with each food item. Utensils and cooking areas can be sanitized by using a solution of one tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in a gallon of water. Rinse all fruits and vegetables with cold water and it wouldn’t hurt to clean the lids of all canned goods before opening them. As for thawing frozen meat, the best place to do that is the refrigerator or the microwave, not the counter. For faster thawing, place the food in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerge it in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes and cook immediately after thawing.
What color is correct?
Most people are particular about the colors of their fruits and vegetables, but what about the colors of meat and poultry? Color changes are normal for fresh products. With spoilage there can be a change in color, often a fading or darkening. In addition to the color change, the meat or poultry will have an off odor, be sticky to the touch or it may be slimy. If meat has developed these characteristics, it should not be used. White dried patches on meat indicate freezer burn. When meat and poultry have been frozen for an extended period of time or have not been sealed properly, this will occur. The product remains safe to eat, but the areas with freezer burn will be dried out and can be trimmed away if desired. Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form the bright red color usually seen on the surface of ground beef purchased in a supermarket. The interior of the meat may be grayish-brown due to the lack of oxygen penetrating below the surface.
Trusted by thousands of listeners every week, T. Glenn Pait, M.D., began offering expert advice as the host of UAMS’ “Here’s to Your Health” program in 1996. Dr. Pait began working at UAMS in 1994 and has been practicing medicine for over 20 years.