FORT LEE, Va. –
Knowing how to prepare, handle and store food properly is important all year long, but higher summer temperatures kick spoilage actions into high gear.
Under normal circumstances, the rule of thumb for safely allowing foods to remain at room temperature is two hours. At temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit it's only one hour. That's why it's important to know summer food safety rules and apply them properly.
Keep it clean: While handling food, wash hands often with soap and water and do the same for any surfaces food comes in contact with. On a picnic, take along paper towels and hand sanitizer or a spray bottle filled with soapy water to accomplish the task.
- Before using fruits and vegetables wash them under cold water, scrubbing briskly with your hands or a soft brush, then dry well with paper towels. Even items like cantaloupe and watermelon, need this same washing routine to prevent harmful organisms from contaminating the fruit's flesh when sliced open with a knife.
Separate so you don't contaminate: Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood, and any of their leaking juices away from already cooked, ready-to-eat foods and fresh produce. Use soap and water to wash hands, utensils and cutting boards that have come into contact with raw meat, poultry and seafood before handling other foods.
- Always use a clean plate. Never put cooked foods back on the same plate that held them when they were raw. If raw meats, poultry or seafood must share space in the same cooler as other foods, carefully pack each of them in sealed, leak-proof containers.
Chill perishable foods promptly and thaw foods properly: Never thaw foods on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Instead, thaw foods in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for per five pounds of frozen food to be thawed. For quick thawing, submerge foods wrapped in airtight packaging in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Thaw foods in the microwave only if you'll be cooking them immediately.
- Immediately refrigerate perishable foods upon returning home from the commissary, place raw meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf to eliminate the possibility of accidental drips contaminating other foods.
Cook it safe; test the temperature: Use a meat thermometer to verify everyday items like hamburgers, pork chops or chicken breasts have reached a safe internal temperature. Judging when the food is done based on color alone has been proven to be unreliable. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that one out of every four hamburgers turn brown in the center before they reach a safe internal temperature.
For more tips visit https://www.commissaries.com, click on Food Safety Information, then follow the links to "Four Easy Lessons in Safe Food Handling."