Food Irradiation
Facts about E. Coli O157:H7
Food Borne Illness
Links
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Tips for keeping food safe
1. Wash hands after using restroom,
handling raw food, touching body, sneezing, coughing, smoking,
eating, drinking
or chewing gum.
2. Pull back hair
3. Don't wear jewelry
4. Don't taste food then put spoon back in
to stir
5. Never use the same cutting board or
knives for ready-to-eat foods and raw foods.
6. Keep ready-to-eat foods and raw foods
separate
7. Store raw chicken at the bottom of the
refrigerator
8. Never reuse marinades
9. Don't marinate in metal containers
10. Marinate in the refrigerator
11. Cook food to proper internal temperatures
12. Use a clean food thermometer to check temperatures
13. Let microwaved food stand for a few minutes after
cooking
14. Put leftovers away immediately
15. Sanitize all surfaces after working with raw foods
16. Thaw food in the refrigerator
17. Do not refreeze thawed food
18. Do not partially cook food and re-cook it later
Cooking Temperature Requirements
Food, Proper Temperature
Ground Beef, 160 degrees until all juices run clear and there is
no pink color remaining
Steaks , 145 degrees for medium, 155 for medium-well and 165 for
well done.
Roasts, at least 145 degrees
Ground pork and other meats, 155 degrees
Fish, 145 degrees
Eggs, 145 degrees
Poultry, 165 degrees
Top Ten Food Safety Mistakes
1. Unwashed hands and utensils
2. Inadequate Cooking
3. Countertop thawing
4. Leftovers and doggie bags at room temperature
5. Unclean cutting board
6. Shared knife for raw meats and vegetables
7. Store-to-refrigerator lag time
8. Room-temperature marinating
9. Stirring-and-tasting spoon
10. Hide-and-Eat Easter Eggs
The Importance of Irradiation
Beef was added to the approval list for irradiation in 1999,
along with other foods like potatoes and
strawberries. Food irradiation is a process through which food
products are exposed to a controlled amount of high-energy
electrons to eliminate harmful bacteria. According to the
American Medical Association, food irradiation is a safe and
effective process that increases the safety of food.
Scientific studies have shown that irradiation does not
significantly reduce nutritional quality or change food taste,
texture or appearance. American astronauts have been eating
irradiated foods in space since the early 1970s. Hospital patients
and elderly people with weakened immune systems are also sometimes
fed irradiated foods to reduce the chance of a life threatening
infection. Irradiated food costs slightly more than their
conventional counterparts - generally two to five cents higher.
In Europe, over 40 types of irradiated foods are being purchased
by consumers. The United States Postal Service has begun
using the same technology from SureBeam to irradiate letters and
packages. |
