Sect 3: Food Safety & Supply Topic A

How is the internal temperature of cooked meat properly gaged?

with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.

When does non-ground beef, steak, veal, lamb, or pork need to be cooked or frozen?

within 3 to 5 days.

When preparing to freeze vegetables, how can you maintain their quality?

Blanching either with boiling water or steam will help maintain the quality of vegetables to be frozen.

What is the sanitizing solution for cutting boards, utensils, and countertops?

1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.

What are the 3 thawing methods for meat?

1. Refrigerator 2. Cold Water 3. Microwave

What is the process of cold water thawing method?

1. place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. 2. Submerge in cold tap water. 3. Change the water every 30 minutes. 4. Cook immediately after thawing.

High-acid canned food (tomatoes, fruits) will keep their best quality for how long?

12 to 18 months

What is the safe MINIMAL internal temperature to reheat fully cooked ham?

140 °F

What is the safe MINIMAL internal temperature for beef, pork, lamb, veal, roasts, steak, and chops?

145 °F

What is the safe MINIMAL internal temperature for egg dishes and ground meat?

160 °F

What is the safe MINIMAL internal temperature for poultry, stuffing, casseroles, and reheated leftovers?

165 °F

Low-acid canned food (meats, vegetables) for how long?

2 to 5 years.

What range of temperature is often called the "Danger Zone" of rapid bacterial growth on food?

40 °F to 140 °F

When storing foods in a pantry the temperature should be kept between?

50 °F to 70 °F to maintain the best possible quality for the longest amount of time.

How do you properly store/refrigerate raw food?

Always store raw food in sealed or covered containers at the bottom of the fridge. Keep raw foods below cooked foods, to avoid liquid such as meat juices dripping down and contaminating the cooked food.

How can you prevent thawed food from growing bacteria?

Avoid thawing frozen food in the temperature danger zone. Keep defrosted food in the fridge until it is ready to be cooked.

How do you properly re-freeze uncooked or cooked meat and poultry when it has been thawed by cold water or a microwave?

Cook before refreezing

What should you do immediately after defrosting food in the microwave or oven?

Cook it.

In the microwave oven, how can food be evenly heated?

Cover and rotate the food.

When does canned food need to be discarded?

Discard cans that are dented, rusted, leaking, or swollen.

What types of foods can safely be stored at room temperature?

Dry ingredients, dry food products; foods with low moisture like peanut butter; foods high in sugar like unopened jams and jellies; and, foods that have been commercially canned or properly home-canned.

T/F: Bacteria CANNOT be reintroduced to food after it is safely cooked.

FALSE

T/F: Freezer burn food products are not safe to consume?

FALSE: Although freezer burn is not harmful, it causes the texture and flavor of the product to be undesirable.

T/F: Marinated meat should be left uncovered at room temperature?

FALSE: Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

T/F: Raw food and cooked food can be stored together.

FALSE: Raw food and cooked food should be stored separately in the fridge. Bacteria from raw food can contaminate cold cooked food, and the bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels if the food is not cooked thoroughly again.

T/F: When roasting meat and poultry, use an oven temperature no lower than 300 °F.

FALSE: The oven temperature should go no lower than 325 °F.

T/F: the refrigerator thawing method provides a FASTER result than the cold water method.

FALSE: The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing and the cold water method is faster.

T/F: After use, cutting boards, utensils and countertops only have to be sanitized.

FALSE: wash cutting board, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water.

When it comes to rotating and discarding stored foods, what method is best to use?

FIFO: "First in, First out."

If the room temperature is above 90 °F, how long can food be unrefrigerated?

Food should not be left out more than 1 hour.

As a general rule, why should you avoid refreezing thawed food?

Food that is frozen a second time is likely to have higher levels of food-poisoning bacteria.

If hot food is not immediately served, how can bacterial growth be prevented?

If you aren't going to serve hot food right away, it's important to keep it at 140 °F or above.

With temperature maintenance, what is the rule of thumb for UNREFRIGERATED cold foods?

Keep cold food cold—at or below 40 °F. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often.

With temperature maintenance, what is the rule of thumb for COOKED hot foods?

Keep hot food hot—at or above 140 °F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.

When storing leftovers, how can bacterial growth be prevented?

Leftovers must be put in shallow containers for quick cooling and refrigerated at 40 °F or below within two hours.

What types of foods are high risk for bacteria growth?

Meats, poultry, fish and seafood, eggs, cut vegetables and fruits, cooked vegetables/legumes/pulses and rice, most sauces, and dairy products.

If a food product is accidentally thawed but is safe to refreeze, how long should it remain frozen?

No more than 2 to 3 days.

When shopping, which items should you select first: non-perishables or refrigerated/frozen foods?

Non-perishables

What kind of containers should food be stored in?

Non-toxic, air-tight containers' with fitted lids. Canned food should be transferred to containers. Some containers should be covered with foil or plastic to minimize spills/leaks and the spread of contamination.

How do you properly store foods meant for the freezer?

Package foods to be frozen in moisture, vapor-resistant materials meant for freezing. These include plastic freezer containers, freezer bags, freezer wrap and heavy duty aluminum foil.

T/F: Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating.

TRUE

T/F: Canned foods are safe indefinitely as long as they are not exposed to freezing temperatures, or temperatures above 90 °F.

TRUE

T/F: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.

TRUE

T/F: Do not buy food past "Sell-By," "Use-By," or other expiration dates.

TRUE

T/F: Food-poisoning bacteria can grow in frozen food while it is thawing.

TRUE

T/F: Foods should be reheated thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165 °F or until hot and steaming.

TRUE

T/F: Foods that have accidentally been thawed can be safely refrozen if either they still contain ice crystals or the temperature of the food has remained at 40 °F or below.

TRUE

T/F: For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

TRUE

T/F: Keeping foods frozen 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below, prevents bacteria growth, but does not preserve food quality.

TRUE

T/F: Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours.

TRUE

T/F: Raw food should never be refrozen once thawed.

TRUE

T/F: Treating light-colored fruits with anti-darkening treatments will help to preserve the color of the fruit.

TRUE

T/F: Uncooked or cooked meat and poultry can be refrozen, ONLY if it has been defrosted in the refrigerator.

TRUE

T/F: When food is left in the "Danger Zone" temperature range, bacterial growth can double in number in as little as 20 minutes.

TRUE

T/F: When grocery shopping, pick up cold foods last at the store and get them home quickly. Immediately refrigerate or freeze cold foods.

TRUE

What is the appropriate temperature range of a freezer?

The freezer should be at 0 °F or below.

What is one of the most common causes of foodborne illnesses?

The improper cooling of cooked foods.

What is the appropriate temperature range of a refrigerator?

The refrigerator should be at 40 °F or below.

Why should foods be stored in air-tight wraps and containers before refrigeration?

This prevents contamination and maintains the quality of the foods by keeping them from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods.

When freezing meat and poultry, how can the food quality when be maintained?

To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap.

How long can cooked leftovers be kept?

Use cooked leftovers within 4 days.

How do you prevent freezer burn?

When placing foods in the freezer, spread them out in a single layer until frozen. The faster a product freezes, the smaller the ice crystals that will be formed. This results in less damage to the texture of the product.

When does fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats (meat consisting of the entrails and internal organs of an animal) need to be cooked or frozen?

Within 2 days