Alright my friends let’s start with
a little Q&A! Were you aware that that one in six Americans could get sick
from food poisoning in just this year? Are you under the impression that I am
just talking about those germy animals and it only pertains to those meat
lovers? I’ll give you a hit, while you may be cutting meat out of your diet for
a healthier lifestyle be sure to follow the proper steps to insure your veggies
are clean as well. There are many germs found in our meats as well as on our
veggies. This Is why it is very important to know the four main duties necessary
to reduce the unwanted illnesses.
Our
first step is a given, WASH! Washing your hands often is a great way to eliminate
the spread of germs from one place to another. You would what to wash your
hands before you start prepping a meal, during a meal as well as when you are
done cooking . practice good hand washing techniques after handling raw meat,
after coughing or sneezing, after using that bathroom. Long story short, wash
often. when you are dealing with meats believe me washing your meat could cause
more harm than good. When you are washing that meat off you are allowing a
greater chance of cross contamination. The CDC recommends that you do not wash
off the meats . In contrary the vegetables are the one that need washing all
the time. There are many germs that are found on our produce and we can limit
the contamination by washing those items off before cutting or consuming. Another
important tip for the washing component would be to wash your dishes after
every use.
Next,
our duty would be to separate. We want to keep our meats and poultry and sea
foods away from our beloved everything else. Did you know what those clear bags
in most refrigeration sections in stores are for? They are you put your meats
in, just in case of a leak. When it
comes to cutting boards they too should be separate. Have one for meat poultry
and seafood cutting and the other for veggies and fruits.
So lets
turn up the heat! That’s right our third step in insuring food safety is our
cooking time! On major tool that helps determine if your food is done is a
thermometer. You would want to place your thermometer in the thickest part of
the meat to insure that it is done. As far as our microwave goes it is important
to make sure it is cooking to 165 degrees or higher. Be sure you stir that food
in the middle area during cooking time to be sure it is all getting cooked
evenly.
Lastly, its time to chill through refrigeration
and freezing. Food can grow bacteria within 2 hrs of sitting out. Remember refrigeration
slows down the process of microbial growth. Freezing keeps food safe until you
cook it. Don’t forget freezing it does not mean you are eliminating the bacteria,
you are only putting it on hold. Well this
wraps it up for our exploration of food safety for now. Let’s go home and be
sure to implement these four easy steps
to start you on your healthy diet.
References:
https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/index.html
https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/index.html
So we shouldn't wash meat before we cook it? Why is this? I was always taught to wash off my meats simply because they're still a little bloody when i purchase them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brianna, I was always told to wash my meat off with water before I cook it. My parents usually wash the meat off with cold water and add a little vinegar and let it sit in the bowl for about 10 minutes then wash it off again and start seasoning your meat. I want to know why is it bad to wash it off with water. I thought it was unsanitary to take your meat out of the packet while it's bleeding. I agree with washing off vegetables because I know vegetables can pick up the same bacteria as meat when it is package in containers or in clear plastic bags. Plus a lot of fruits and vegetables sit out in grocery stores and a lot of people touch it then will put it back. When I cook I usually don't use a thermometer but I do believe it is a great investment because it's important that everyone check the temperature of your food because that's the quickest way to get sick. overall great post!
ReplyDeleteI have taken a couple "Foods" classes in high school and I still remember many of these food safety tips. The best tip that I learned and practice today is to use different cutting boards and knives when cutting meats and vegetables. I think food safety is incredibly important to learn before college in order for students to know how to cook properly in college for themselves. Does EIU have any courses or programs regarding food safety?
ReplyDeleteThis was grat information. My mom swithced from plastic to wooden (that are coated in something) cutting boards becasue they are supposed to be more sanitary. It surprises me how many people in college, especially boys, lack the understanding of basic food prep.
ReplyDeleteI took my first cooking class last year and I was shocked t find that there was so much safety to foods and you have to take different approaches to certain items. I didn't know that if you put bread in the fridge it will last longer.
ReplyDeleteIt truly mazes me that people in our age group don't know proper food sanitation. Especially considering most high school jobs are in the food service industry. Makes me cringe a little just thinking about if my dinner was prepared right or if i'm going to wake up one day with a tape worm or some other parasite.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with brianna, I was always taught to wash my meat off before i would cook. This was a very informational post. I think food safety is so important because we are putting these things into our bodies.
ReplyDeleteCool to know that putting food in the freezer doesn’t keep the bacteria away but does put it on pause. But can a food grow bacteria while being in the fridge?
ReplyDelete