West Virginia University WL 118

Extension Service

RISKY BUSINESS: KEEPING FOOD SAFE

Guendoline Brown, Ph.D.
Extension Specialist, Nutrition and Health

What do you know about the Risky Business of Keeping Food Safe?

Circle T if the statement is true. Circle F if the statement is false.

T F 1. The “Danger Zone” refers to the home freezer temperature that’s too cold for
storing frozen foods.

T F 2. The reason for putting meat, poultry, and seafood in plastic bags at the super-
market is so you won’t waste any of the good juice that might drip from the
package.

T F 3. The new safe handling labels on raw meat and poultry products give the basic
guidelines for keeping food safe.

T F 4. The temperature in your refrigerator should be about 50 degrees and the freezer
should be at or below 32 degrees.

T F 5. Ground beef should be used within one to two days of purchase and beef steaks,
roasts, deli meats, and poultry within three to four days.

T F 6. When food is thawed in a microwave, it should be cooked immediately.

T F 7. While raw meat should not be eaten, it’s OK to eat raw cookie dough.

T F 8. Cooking meat and poultry at low temperatures should be avoided; oven

temperatures should be 325 degrees or above.

T F 9. It’s OK to partially cook foods and then hold them for later cooking if they are
refrigerated.

T F 10. Leftover marinades can be used as a sauce on cooked meat if it is brought to a

rolling boil and boiled for one minute.

T F 11. Cooked food should not be allowed to sit out at room temperature for more than
two hours.

T F 12. Leftover food that looks or smells strange should be placed in the garage or on an
outside porch until it can be disposed of.

Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability,
religion, age, veteran status, sexual orientation or national origin.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University.
THE DANGER ZONE: COOKING THOROUGHLY:

Between 40 degrees (refrigerator temper- Use a thermometer to take the guesswork

ature) and 140 degrees, bacteria multiply out of cooking meat and poultry. Place the
rapidly. Never leave food in this 100-degree thermometer at the thickest portion of the
range for more than 2 hours. meat, not touching bone, fat, or the bottom
of the pan. Here’s a chart to use as a guide.
PRODUCT INTERNAL COOKED TEMPERATURE
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb
Ground products like hamburger
(prepared as patties, meat loaf, 160
meatballs, etc.)
Non-ground products like roasts and steaks
Medium rare 145
Medium 160
Well done 170
Fresh Pork
All cuts including ground product
Medium 160
Well done 170
SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: Poultry
165
Ground chicken, turkey
Whole chicken, turkey
New safe handling labels on raw meat and Medium, unstuffed 170
Well done 180
poultry products summarize the basic Whole bird with stuffing 180
guidelines for keeping food safe. (Stuffing must reach 165°F)
Poultry breasts, roasts 170
Thighs, wings Cook until juices run clear
Ham
Safe Handling Instructions Fresh, raw (leg) 160
Fully cooked, to reheat 140
Cook roasts to 5°F below the recommended internal temperature for doneness.
The temperature will continue to rise about 5°F duuring standing time (allow 10-15 minutes)

COMMON FOOD SAFETY MISTAKES:

Do you know the 10 most common food

safety mistakes?

TEN Countertop thawing

COMMON Leftovers left out
FOOD Unclean cutting board
SAFETY Room-temperature marinating
MISTAKES Store-to-refrigerator lag time
BBQ blunder: same platter for raw and
grilled meats
Quiz Answers: Restaurant “doggie-bag” delay
1(F), 2(F), 3(T), 4(F), 5(T), Stirring-and-tasting spoon
6(T), 7(F), 8(T), 9(F), Shared knife for trimming raw meat
10(T), 11(T), 12(F). and chopping vegetales
Hide-and-eat Easter eggs

Credits: Adapted from: Plating It Safe, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service/Extension Service.
1995: 6M