nutrition module 5

food poisoning (food-borne illness)

*Food poisoning, or food-borne illnesses, is caused by bacteria, viruses, toxins, or parasites that can be transmitted by improperly stored, cleaned, or cooked food.* - These cause vomiting and diarrhea. They're miserable, but in healthy individuals, they're usually short-lived. - Others types of food poisoning are severe. They can cause significant illness requiring medication—such as antibiotics, which kill bacteria—or even hospitalization and death. *Three Common Causes of Food Poisoning* + Salmonella: most commonly found in raw chicken and eggs + E. coli: bacteria found in the intestinal tract; linked to various food sources + Listeria: bacteria naturally occurring in soil and water and sometimes transmitted in soft cheeses and deli meats

perishable foods

*Perishable foods* include meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and many fruits and vegetables. These foods can spoil or rot. All cooked foods are also perishable. Whole fruits and vegetables can be left at room temperature without risk; cut ones cannot. Some foods are considered *semi-perishable*. They can spoil, but it takes a long time. Bread and other grains are semi-perishable food. These are safely stored at room temperature but aren't good indefinitely. For food safety, the two-hour rule applies to cooked foods, meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, and cooked or cut fruits and vegetables. It often does not apply to whole raw fruits or baked goods unless they have a perishable frosting or topping.

DANGERS IN THE KITCHEN

*SAFE KITCHEN PROTOCOLS* - Kitchen safety doesn't include just cleanliness. You also need to behave in a safe way. - *Kitchens are full of potential dangers. Knives can cut you, hot pans and stoves can burn you, and wet floors can lead to slips and falls.* *Knives*: - Handle knives with care. Improve your knife skills—you'll even find how-to videos online. And keep your fingers out of reach of the knife. - Always cut on a stable surface, and wash your knives and other sharp items separately from the rest of the dishes. - Never try to catch a falling knife. Jump away from the knife rather than reaching for it. - A cut-preventing glove may be a good idea for some knife users and is a smart choice for anyone using slicers or mandolins, which cut vegetables into thin slices using a very sharp blade. *Burns*: To prevent burns, always use good-quality potholders to protect your hands. Be sure they're dry—wet cloth doesn't protect from heat. Turn pot handles inward so they can't be bumped on the stove. Be aware of heat sources in your kitchen. If you get a minor kitchen burn, run the burn under cold running water. No ice or butter—even if your grandma says so! *Water:* A small rug in front of the kitchen sink to catch drips and spills can reduce the risk of kitchen falls. Get in the habit of cleaning spills immediately. A wet kitchen floor increases the risk of injury. *Fire* - Fire is also a risk in the kitchen. Some kitchen fires are caused by utensils, dishcloths, and other items left too close to the stove. Others are started by grease—frying causes more than 60 percent of kitchen fires each year. Never throw water on a fire. - Smother it with a pan lid or fire blanket, or use a fire extinguisher. (You should have one in the kitchen!) Always keep yourself safe, and call 911 if needed. In addition, remember to check your smoke alarms at least twice a year.

when to get rid of food

*WHEN TO THROW IT OUT:* - Milk is typically good for around a week after the sell-by date. Soured milk can sometimes be used in recipes in place of buttermilk. Use the same rule for other dairy products—yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese. - Poultry and seafood should be used or frozen within a day of bringing them home. It's best to follow the same rule for ground beef or pork. - Whole cuts of beef and pork can be kept in the fridge for three to five days. - Eggs are fine for three to five weeks after you bring them home. - Produce is good as long as it still looks and smells good. *leaving LEFTOVERS* Typically, assuming they're stored properly, your leftovers are safe for three to four days. If you're not going to eat them in three to four days, move them from the refrigerator to the freezer. They'll be safe indefinitely in the freezer, but they'll taste best if eaten in the first three to four months. Remember that list we mentioned on the fridge? Add a date to it, or even use a wipe-off pencil or dry erase marker to add a date directly to the container in the fridge or freezer.

WHAT NOT TO DO WHILE COOKING

- Don't wash meat or poultry. This can spread bacteria around the kitchen and doesn't make your food safer to eat. - Don't use the same cutting board or knife for meat and vegetables without washing. You may even want to designate cutting boards for different types of foods. Sometimes you'll find color-coded cutting boards. You should also make sure your cutting board is in good condition—if it doesn't look like you can get it clean, you probably can't. - Don't reuse meat marinades, or liquids you soak raw meat in. If you'd like to use the same marinade for a sauce, set some aside before you add the meat, and keep it in the refrigerator. You can marinate meat and vegetables together as long as both will be cooked to a safe temperature. - Don't use dull knives. You're more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than with a sharp one.

SAFE FOOD HANDLING

- Leftovers should be put away within two hours. Perishable foods should be kept chilled at under 40 degrees. - If the temperature is above 90 degrees, dispose of perishable food after one hour. - When you put away leftovers, keep in mind that it takes hot food time to cool. Shallow dishes cool faster than deep ones and smaller pieces faster than larger ones. - If you're carrying food for your lunch, ice packs, frozen water bottles, or even frozen tubes of yogurt can keep your meal out of this danger zone. - This is less important for foods that pose a lower risk of contamination, but more important for foods with a higher risk, such as a mayonnaise-based egg salad.

Safe Cooking Practices

- One of the best ways to keep food safe is to be certain it is thoroughly cooked. When food is cooked to the correct temperature, potentially dangerous bacteria and toxins are destroyed. - The easiest way to check is with a meat thermometer, or a metal spike with a temperature sensor on the top. Both digital and analog-style meat thermometers are widely available in discount and kitchen stores. - They not only can keep you safe but also can help keep your food tasting good because you'll avoid overcooking it. *Rest times* are just what they sound like—time off the heat but before serving the food. Allowing meat to rest can raise the temperature a bit more and will make for a juicier and more appealing meal.

HOW TO THAW FOOD

- Your food is quite safe in the freezer as long as your freezer maintains its temperature. Of course, most of your food isn't going to be eaten frozen. You'll need to thaw and heat it or thaw and cook it. Thawing food can put it at risk of bacterial growth. 1. Thaw in the microwave on "defrost." This is typically around 50 percent power. This requires some supervision. Sometimes the defrost setting is enough to start cooking your meat, so watch it closely, and use a lower percentage if you need to thaw without cooking. 2. Thaw in cold water. This works very well for frozen seafood and large frozen foods, such as a frozen turkey. Change the water regularly to keep it cold, and keep your food cool enough to avoid entering the temperature danger zone. 3. Thaw in the refrigerator. This can take several days for large packages or chunks of food, but it's the safest choice to preserve food quality and eliminate the risk of food-borne illnesses. For smaller packages of food, putting the food into the fridge to thaw in the morning may leave it ready to cook by evening.

storing food

- open food means pests - Kitchen pests include the relatively benign, but annoying, like ants and fruit flies, but also the much less benign and much more offensive, like cockroaches and mice. - Visitors to your kitchen are looking for food. It's your job to keep them from finding it. Open bags, paper bags, and even the glue on cardboard boxes do not provide barriers to unwanted creepy-crawlies. tips: - Put your leftovers away. Use plastic or glass containers with well-fitting lids. - Store flour, sugar, and grains properly. Expensive canisters work well, but so do inexpensive and accessible glass canning jars. When your food is sealed up, it's safe from invaders. Keep in mind if you have pets, their food needs to be properly stored in a sealed container too. - Use chip clips or similar clips for bagged snacks at the very least. It's better to seal the snack bags in a large Ziploc-style bag or transfer to a sealed container. - Wash your dishes every day. Do not leave dishes in the kitchen or anywhere else in the house. That's also food for pests. - Wipe down your counters and stove. - Clean up any spills on the floor. - Take trash and recycling out regularly. You'll keep roaches and mice away, which your parents or roommates will appreciate.

how to wash your hands

1. Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap. Always keep hand soap by the sink. You can use dish soap safely, but it's apt to be drying. 2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. 3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice. 4. Rinse your hands well under clean running water. 5. Dry your hands using a clean towel, or air dry them. (It's smart to keep a kitchen towel hanging just to dry clean hands.)

expiration dates

A *sell-by date* means that the store needs to sell the food by this date. The food is still good to eat and use after the sell-by date. The food may not taste as fresh after, but it won't be dangerous. You can often find food with later sell-by dates (and therefore a longer shelf life at home) by reaching to the back of the shelf. A *best-by date* means the food will taste best before this date. It's still OK for you to eat after this date. A *guaranteed-fresh date* is commonly found on baked goods. Like sell-by and best-by dates, the food is still safe to eat after this date. *Use-by date* is the date you should use the food by for the best quality. Canned and packaged foods often have use-by dates.

pests

All foods should be repackaged in sealed containers as they enter your home. Dispose of cardboard immediately. Large, sealed plastic containers can hold everything from granola bars to cereal. Clean. Clean. Clean. When you're done cleaning, clean some more.

Food Safety and Hygiene

Good food safety and hygiene will prevent food-borne illnesses at home. *CLEAN HANDS* - The first step in good food safety is proper hand washing. Proper hand washing also prevents colds, flu, and other illnesses. WHAT: Thorough and proper hand washing WHO: Anyone in the kitchen WHEN: Before, during, and after meal preparation, as well as before and after eating WHERE: The kitchen sink WHY: To prevent the transmission of illness and cross-contamination HOW: *CLEAN KITCHEN* - We're concerned with eliminating germs from your cutting boards and counters. - You just need hot soapy water and clean cloths. After every use, and regularly as you cook, your cutting boards, utensils, prep bowls, and counters should be cleaned with hot soapy water—as hot as you can handle without burning yourself - You can also opt to sanitize, or kill germs on surfaces, by spraying or rinsing with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water. There's no need to rinse the bleach solution off of your surfaces or utensils. *CLEAN PRODUCE* - You should also wash all fruits and vegetables under cool running water. Firm fruits and vegetables can be scrubbed with a designated produce brush. - Don't use soap or commercial produce washes—there's no need. Do wash your produce even if you're going to peel it. Bacteria can be transferred from the outside of the peel to the peeled product - Dry your produce with a paper towel or cloth; dry greens with a salad spinner-type device - Be sure to dry produce thoroughly, and choose the best storage option for the type of food—damp paper towels work well for greens, but not for berries, for instance.

storage in freezer and fridge

IN THE FRIDGE - Some things are obvious—milk, eggs, cheese, and meats you're going to use soon. Most fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated, especially once ripe, as well as most condiments. - Egg-based pies, like pecan pie, need to be stored in the fridge. The refrigerator is also the best place for nuts and dried fruit and some whole grains or freshly pressed oils. IN THE FREEZER - Your freezer can hold more than just ice cream and frozen pizza. - When you cook, you can freeze portions of your meal to eat later. Some foods freeze better than others. Soups and chili usually freeze very well. - Burritos and breakfast sandwiches can be frozen. - Cooked meat dishes with meatballs or shredded meat freeze well. - Shredded cheese and chopped onions can be frozen. Bread, buns, and tortillas freeze well. - Any food in the freezer needs to be well wrapped. *Organizing Your Refrigerator and Pantry* + "last in, first out." + If you go to the grocery store and pick up a new package of lunch meat, but still have one package left from last week, you should use last week's before you open this week's. + This way you rotate your food supplies to use the oldest items first and put the newest aside until you need them. - Most people opt to organize like items together. That means that all of your canned tomato products are near one another on a shelf in the pantry, and all of your dairy products are close by one another in the refrigerator. - You can also opt to organize your food into meals or by purpose. For instance, a basket might hold granola bars, applesauce cups, and bananas if you commonly grab these foods for breakfast on the way out the door. - You can also opt to store foods together in your pantry and refrigerator for meals.