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Food Safety
Times & Temperatures|
Proper Handwashing|
Cross Contamination|
Picnic Safety|
Preparing Poultry Properly|
Food Safety For Seniors|
Safe Drinking Water|
Safe Food Handling|
When
The Electricity Goes Out|
Thawing Frozen Foods
What You Should Know!
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The 4 Steps For Food Safety |
What Do I Do When The Electricity Goes Off?
Most home refrigerators and freezers stop running at least once
during their lifetimes. Whether due to a power outage or a broken
appliance, a power failure brings with it the risk of food spoilage.
Bacteria are present all around us -on our bodies, in food, and on
cooking utensils. In small amounts, these bacteria are harmless. In large
numbers, these bacteria may cause food poisoning. At temperatures below
freezing, most bacteria that cause foodborne illness survive, but do not
grow. Refrigeration at 40F or below allows only slow growth of bacteria.
As the storage temperature of perishable food rises above 40F, the rate of
bacterial growth increases. After these foods are left more than two hours
above 40F, there is a strong chance that the number of bacteria has risen
to a level which can cause food poisoning. The information below will help
you keep food safe longer and evaluate the safety of foods affected by a
power failure.
How do I keep my food frozen?
0nce the freezer fails, the length of time food in it will
stay frozen depends on:
1. The amount of food in the freezer. A full freezer, if not
opened, will stay cold enough to keep food frozen for about two days,
even in the summer. In a freezer that is half full, food will stay
frozen for only one day.
2. The kind of food in the freezer. Foods which have a higher
water content will stay frozen longer. For example, a freezer full of
meat will not warm as quickly as a freezer full of bread.
3. The temperature of the food before the power failure. The
colder the food, the longer it will stay frozen. Keep your freezer set
at 0F or lower.
4.Freezer insulation. A well-insulated freezer will keep food
frozen much longer than one with little insulation.
5.Size of the freezer. The larger the freezer, the longer the food
will stay frozen.
As soon as you discover a freezer failure, call the utility company
to find out when power might be restored or the appliance repair service
to find Out when the freezer can be worked on. If there is a chance the
freezer will be out of service for some time, you may need to take steps
to prevent food loss.
Make plans with a local meat locker plant before an emergency
arises. If freezer failure occurs, call the locker plant to see if it is
open and has room for your food. During transport to the locker, insulate
the food by wrapping it in newspapers or blankets.
If there is no locker space and the freezer will be without power
for more than one day, dry ice may be helpful. The more dry ice you use,
the longer the food will stay frozen. Twenty-five pounds of dry ice added
soon after a power loss should keep the food in a half-full, medium-sized
(10-cubic-foot) freezer frozen for two to three days. In a full freezer of
the same size, twenty-five pounds of dry ice should keep foods frozen for
three to four days. Place the dry ice on a piece of cardboard on top of
the food packages. To protect your skin, always wear gloves when handling
dry ice.
Finding a source of dry ice may take a little work. Check the yellow
pages under "dry ice." Call local dairies, cold storage warehouses, or
other businesses that might use dry ice.
0ther tips to reduce loss of frozen food include:
1. Keeping the freezer door closed.
2. Placing food outdoors if the temperature is below 0F.
3. Covering the freezer with blankets or quilts. Be sure to
pin or fasten the covering so the air vent openings are not blocked. The
power may return without warning.
Return to Top
Safe Drinking Water
Is My Water Safe?
A disaster may disrupt the electricity needed to pump water in the
home and/or contaminate the water supply. Planning ahead can assure
there is enough safe water for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth,
and keeping clean.
You can store water ahead for use in emergencies. Boiled water,
stored in sterilized containers will keep for six months to one year.
While the water may taste flat, it is safe to drink or use in cooking.
Your hot water heater or water pressure tank could supply many
gallons of safe water during an emergency. Before using water from the
water heater, switch off the gas or electricity which heats the water.
Leaving the power on while the heater is empty could cause an explosion
or burn out the elements. After turning off the power source, open the
drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Do not turn the water heater on
again until the water system is back in service.
Unless you are absolutely certain your water supply is not
contaminated, purify all water before using it for drinking, preparing
food, brushing teeth, or washing dishes. If the water contains sediment
or floating material, strain it through a cloth before purifying it. If
you have access to heat or power, water can be made safe by boiling; if
not, you will have to treat it with chemicals.
Boiling: Boil water at a rolling boil for ten minutes
to kill any disease-causing bacteria. Add a pinch of salt to each quart
of boiled water to improve the taste.
Chemical treatment: Any of the following three
(3) chemical treatments will purify water.
1. Chlorine bleach - Household bleach is a good disinfectant for
water. Before using, check the label to be sure hypochlorite is the only
active ingredient in the bleach. Do not use bleach that contains soap.
Since the amount of chlorine in bleach is variable, use the following
table to determine the appropriate amount needed to purify water. Mix
the bleach thoroughly in the water and let it stand for 30 minutes. The
water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn't, repeat the dose
and let the water stand for an additional 15 minutes.
Percent Add per
chlorine gallon water
------------------------
1% 40 drops
2 to 6% 8 drops
7to10% 4drops
unknown 10 drops
2. Iodine - Household iodine from the medicine cabinet will
purify water. The iodine should be 2% United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.)
strength. Add 20 drops per gallon of clear water and 40 drops per gallon
of cloudy water.
3. Water purification tablets - Water purification tablets
will also purify water. These tablets are available at drug stores.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Return to Top
Preparing Poultry Safely
USDA Meat & Poultry
Hotline
Several new methods for new and interesting ways to prepare
poultry have become popular in recent years. These involve adding a
liquid to poulty by methods such as injection, marinating, brining, or
basting which results in a change or improvement of the taste, flavor,
tenderness, or texture.
Poultry -
Brining & Marinating
Preparing Turkey
Turkey -
Safe
Cooking
Turkey -
Safe
Thawing
Return to Top
Safe Food Handling
Can Your Kitchen Pass
The Food Safety Test?
Handling Food
Safely
Principios
Basicos en la Preparacion de los Alimentos Seguros
Return to Top
Food Safety For Seniors
A lot has changed over your lifetime—including the way food
is produced and distributed. It used to be that food was produced close to
where people lived. Many people shopped daily, and prepared and ate their
food at home. Eating in restaurants was saved for special occasions.
Today, food in your local grocery store comes from all over the world. And
nearly 50 percent of the money we spend on food goes to buy food that
others prepare, like "carry out" and restaurant meals. In today's
world, we need to heighten our awareness of foodborne illness, special
risks some people face, proper heating temperatures, necessary
refrigeration, safe thawing methods, and the how-to of re-heating food.
Take a look a these guidelines.
Return to Top
Purdue Extension Hamilton County
Return to Top
©
Hamilton County Extension Services
|
|
What Do I Do When The Electricity Goes Off? |
Most home refrigerators and freezers stop running at least once during their lifetimes. Whether due to a power outage or a broken appliance, a power failure brings with it the risk of food spoilage.
Bacteria are present all around us -on our bodies, in food, and on cooking utensils. In small amounts, these bacteria are harmless. In large numbers, these bacteria may cause food poisoning. At temperatures below freezing, most bacteria that cause foodborne illness survive, but do not grow. Refrigeration at 40F or below allows only slow growth of bacteria. As the storage temperature of perishable food rises above 40F, the rate of bacterial growth increases. After these foods are left more than two hours above 40F, there is a strong chance that the number of bacteria has risen to a level which can cause food poisoning. The information below will help you keep food safe longer and evaluate the safety of foods affected by a power failure.
How do I keep my food frozen?
0nce the freezer fails, the length of time food in it will
stay frozen depends on:
1. The amount of food in the freezer. A full freezer, if not opened, will stay cold enough to keep food frozen for about two days, even in the summer. In a freezer that is half full, food will stay frozen for only one day.
2. The kind of food in the freezer. Foods which have a higher water content will stay frozen longer. For example, a freezer full of meat will not warm as quickly as a freezer full of bread.
3. The temperature of the food before the power failure. The colder the food, the longer it will stay frozen. Keep your freezer set at 0F or lower.
4.Freezer insulation. A well-insulated freezer will keep food frozen much longer than one with little insulation.
5.Size of the freezer. The larger the freezer, the longer the food will stay frozen.
As soon as you discover a freezer failure, call the utility company to find out when power might be restored or the appliance repair service to find Out when the freezer can be worked on. If there is a chance the freezer will be out of service for some time, you may need to take steps to prevent food loss.
Make plans with a local meat locker plant before an emergency arises. If freezer failure occurs, call the locker plant to see if it is open and has room for your food. During transport to the locker, insulate the food by wrapping it in newspapers or blankets.
If there is no locker space and the freezer will be without power for more than one day, dry ice may be helpful. The more dry ice you use, the longer the food will stay frozen. Twenty-five pounds of dry ice added soon after a power loss should keep the food in a half-full, medium-sized (10-cubic-foot) freezer frozen for two to three days. In a full freezer of the same size, twenty-five pounds of dry ice should keep foods frozen for three to four days. Place the dry ice on a piece of cardboard on top of the food packages. To protect your skin, always wear gloves when handling dry ice.
Finding a source of dry ice may take a little work. Check the yellow pages under "dry ice." Call local dairies, cold storage warehouses, or other businesses that might use dry ice.
0ther tips to reduce loss of frozen food include:
1. Keeping the freezer door closed.
2. Placing food outdoors if the temperature is below 0F.
3. Covering the freezer with blankets or quilts. Be sure to pin or fasten the covering so the air vent openings are not blocked. The power may return without warning.
|
|
Safe Drinking Water Is My Water Safe? |
A disaster may disrupt the electricity needed to pump water in the home and/or contaminate the water supply. Planning ahead can assure there is enough safe water for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth, and keeping clean.
You can store water ahead for use in emergencies. Boiled water, stored in sterilized containers will keep for six months to one year. While the water may taste flat, it is safe to drink or use in cooking.
Your hot water heater or water pressure tank could supply many gallons of safe water during an emergency. Before using water from the water heater, switch off the gas or electricity which heats the water. Leaving the power on while the heater is empty could cause an explosion or burn out the elements. After turning off the power source, open the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Do not turn the water heater on again until the water system is back in service.
Unless you are absolutely certain your water supply is not contaminated, purify all water before using it for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth, or washing dishes. If the water contains sediment or floating material, strain it through a cloth before purifying it. If you have access to heat or power, water can be made safe by boiling; if not, you will have to treat it with chemicals.
Boiling: Boil water at a rolling boil for ten minutes to kill any disease-causing bacteria. Add a pinch of salt to each quart of boiled water to improve the taste.
Chemical treatment: Any of the following three (3) chemical treatments will purify water.
1. Chlorine bleach - Household bleach is a good disinfectant for water. Before using, check the label to be sure hypochlorite is the only active ingredient in the bleach. Do not use bleach that contains soap. Since the amount of chlorine in bleach is variable, use the following table to determine the appropriate amount needed to purify water. Mix the bleach thoroughly in the water and let it stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn't, repeat the dose and let the water stand for an additional 15 minutes.
Percent Add per
chlorine gallon water
------------------------
1% 40 drops
2 to 6% 8 drops
7to10% 4drops
unknown 10 drops
2. Iodine - Household iodine from the medicine cabinet will purify water. The iodine should be 2% United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.) strength. Add 20 drops per gallon of clear water and 40 drops per gallon of cloudy water.
3. Water purification tablets - Water purification tablets will also purify water. These tablets are available at drug stores. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
|
|
Preparing Poultry Safely |
USDA Meat & Poultry
Hotline
Several new methods for new and interesting ways to prepare
poultry have become popular in recent years. These involve adding a
liquid to poulty by methods such as injection, marinating, brining, or
basting which results in a change or improvement of the taste, flavor,
tenderness, or texture.
Poultry -
Brining & Marinating
Preparing Turkey
Turkey -
Safe
Cooking
Turkey -
Safe
Thawing
|
|
Safe Food Handling |
Handling Food Safely
Principios Basicos en la Preparacion de los Alimentos Seguros
Food Safety For Seniors
A lot has changed over your lifetime—including the way food is produced and distributed. It used to be that food was produced close to where people lived. Many people shopped daily, and prepared and ate their food at home. Eating in restaurants was saved for special occasions. Today, food in your local grocery store comes from all over the world. And nearly 50 percent of the money we spend on food goes to buy food that others prepare, like "carry out" and restaurant meals. In today's world, we need to heighten our awareness of foodborne illness, special risks some people face, proper heating temperatures, necessary refrigeration, safe thawing methods, and the how-to of re-heating food. Take a look a these guidelines.
Purdue Extension Hamilton County
Return to Top
©
Hamilton County Extension Services