Health News
- Store Holiday Leftovers Properly For Better Flavor And Food Safety
Leftovers are a great way to stretch your food budget, but proper handling of them is important to make sure they maintain their taste and remain bacteria-free, says the Institute of Food Technologists. In a news release, the institute suggests...
- Safety Tips For Trick Or Treating, Halloween Parties
The state Department for Public Health offers these food safety tips to help you have a safe Halloween: Avoid having children snack while they?re out trick-or-treating so you can inspect the contents of their treat bag. Give children a light meal...
- Storm Victims Need To Be Vigilant About Avoiding Tetanus And Mold, And Protecting Food Safety
As storm and and flood cleanup continues, Kentuckians need to be vigilant about tetanus, mold and food safety, the state Department for Public Health warns. Regarding tetanus, the DPH recommends avoiding contact with flood waters, which can be a...
- Safe Summer Grilling
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Just about every food can be grilled outdoors. Whether you have a portable charcoal mini-grill, or a monster-size gas grill, the joys of outdoor cooking are one of the great pleasures of summer. But there are a few basic food...
- Safe Outdoor Eating
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the start of the holiday weekend, many of us will be firing up the grill. Is there anything better in the summertime than an outdoor cookout with friends and family? While you?re preparing and cooking your favorites, keep in...
Health News
Lose Power in a Storm? Keep Your Food Safe
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
Power outages often accompany big storms. While Hurricane Sandy might not knock out your electricity this time, it?s good to know the basics of food safety related to your refrigerator and freezer.
If you don?t already have a refrigerator thermometer, run ? don?t walk ? to get one at any store selling kitchen gadgets (including most supermarkets). This is a key step to following my four-hour/40 degree food safety rule.
All food in your refrigerator is safe to eat after a power outage, if the temperature remains below 40 degrees. An ideal range for food safety is 36?38 degrees. At 40 degrees or higher, bacteria start to multiply quickly and can easily cause food-borne illness.
If you have a thermometer, your food might be good for much longer than four hours (that?s with the door closed!). If you don?t have a thermometer, stick with the four-hour rule and toss most foods from your refrigerator. Don?t use the taste or smell test to determine food safety ? it?s not reliable. My motto with food safety? When in doubt, throw it out!
Should You Save or Throw? After four hours, or for a refrigerator with a temperature of 40 degrees or more, use the following guidelines:
1. Protein: Meat, Poultry, Seafood, and Eggs
SAVE: NOTHING!
THROW: raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, seafood, tofu, and raw or cooked eggs
2. Dairy
SAVE: Butter, hard cheese, and processed cheese
THROW: soft cheeses, milk, cream, and shredded cheese
3. Fruits/Veggies
SAVE: Fresh whole fruits, fruit juice (opened), canned fruits, and raw vegetables
THROW: cut-up fruit, bagged salad, vegetable juice (opened), and cooked vegetables
4. Condiments/Dressings
SAVE: ketchup, mustard, pickles, peanut butter, and jam/jelly,
THROW: open mayonnaise, tartar sauce, and horseradish
5. Leftovers
SAVE: NOTHING!
THROW: All cooked foods ? even those that are "save" in other categories above.
And what about your freezer? With a freezer that is half full, if you keep the freezer door closed, your food is good for about 24 hours. With a freezer is full, you?ll have about 48 hours of safe freezer foods.
You can refreeze foods if there are still ice crystals remaining in it and the temperature is below 40 degrees.
- Store Holiday Leftovers Properly For Better Flavor And Food Safety
Leftovers are a great way to stretch your food budget, but proper handling of them is important to make sure they maintain their taste and remain bacteria-free, says the Institute of Food Technologists. In a news release, the institute suggests...
- Safety Tips For Trick Or Treating, Halloween Parties
The state Department for Public Health offers these food safety tips to help you have a safe Halloween: Avoid having children snack while they?re out trick-or-treating so you can inspect the contents of their treat bag. Give children a light meal...
- Storm Victims Need To Be Vigilant About Avoiding Tetanus And Mold, And Protecting Food Safety
As storm and and flood cleanup continues, Kentuckians need to be vigilant about tetanus, mold and food safety, the state Department for Public Health warns. Regarding tetanus, the DPH recommends avoiding contact with flood waters, which can be a...
- Safe Summer Grilling
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Just about every food can be grilled outdoors. Whether you have a portable charcoal mini-grill, or a monster-size gas grill, the joys of outdoor cooking are one of the great pleasures of summer. But there are a few basic food...
- Safe Outdoor Eating
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom With the start of the holiday weekend, many of us will be firing up the grill. Is there anything better in the summertime than an outdoor cookout with friends and family? While you?re preparing and cooking your favorites, keep in...