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The three most important things to remember about serving
prepared foods are:
Keep
HOT foods HOT!
Hold
hot cooked foods between 140°F and 165°F until serving time. Harmful
bacteria can grow rapidly below 140°F. When food is cooked to temperatures
of 165°F to 212°F, most food-poisoning bacteria is killed. The
higher the heat, the less time it takes to kill bacteria.
Keep
COLD foods COLD!
Cold
food should be held at 40°F or colder. Harmful bacteria can multiply
quickly above 40°F. Cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from
growing and multiplying. Freezing at 0°F prevents additional bacteria
growth.
Follow
the 2-Hour Rule
The
absolute maximum time for leaving prepared foods at room temperature is
2 hours - including time for preparation, serving and eating. Discard
any perishable foods left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. If
you are eating outdoors at a picnic or cookout where temperature are over
90°F, discard foods after 1 hour.
Handling
Leftovers
—
Wash hands before and after handling leftovers. Use clean utensils and
surfaces.
— Divide leftovers into small units and store in shallow containers
for quick cooling. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
— Discard anything left out too long.
— Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time. Generally,
they remain safe when refrigerated for three to five days. If in doubt,
throw it out.
— Never taste a food to determine if it is safe. Even a small amount
of contaminated food can cause illness.
— When reheating leftovers, reheat thoroughly to a temperature of
165°F or until hot and steamy. Bring soups, sauces and gravies to
a rolling boil.
-
Partnership
for Food Safety Education — a public-private coalition of industry,
government and consumer groups dedicated to educating the public about
safe food handling to help reduce food-borne illness.
-
Safe
Tables Our Priority — S.T.O.P. is
a nonprofit organization composed of victims of food-borne illness,
their families and friends as well as organizations who want our to
make our food supply safer.
-
Food
Marketing Institute — a nonprofit
organization conducting programs in research, education, and public
affairs on behalf of retailers, wholesalers and consumers.
-
Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
-
U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service.
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Wittenberg,
Margaret. Good Food — The
complete Guide to Eating Well. Freedom, CA:The Crossing Press,
1995.
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