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Poll

Fight Off Bacteria

You can't see it or smell it but it can invade your food and make your family sick.


Everyone wants to make sure the meals they serve are delicious, but it's also necessary to think about safety when preparing and storing food.  Fight Bacteria with 4 simple steps:


1.  CLEAN:  Wash hands and surfaces often.  Wash hands with warm soapy water before and after handling all food.  Wash cutting boards often as well as dishes and countertops.
2.  SEPARATE:  Don't cross-contaminate!  Raw meats, poultry and seafood need to be kept separate from other foods in order to prevent the spread of bacteria.  When grocery shopping, keep meats, poultry and seafood in plastic bags to prevent juices from dripping on other foods.  Store these foods on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator.  Remember to wash hands, surfaces and all utensils that come in contact with these foods.
3.  COOK:  Foods that are cooked to proper temperatures are less likely to carry bacteria that cause food borne illness.  Use a clean thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked food to ensure it is thoroughly done.
•Ground meats to 160º F
•Ground poultry to 165ºF
•Beef roasts and steaks to 145ºF
•Leftovers to 165ºF
4.  CHILL:  Refrigerate promptly.  Refrigerate foods quickly.  Cold temperatures keep bacterial from growing and multiplying.  Set temperature in refrigerator to <40ºF and freezer at <0ºF.  Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within 2 hours.


Source: www.beeftips.com