Heart Disease Prevention
Food Safety
 
While reported cases of food-borne illness often stem from food prepared by commercial establishments, research shows that sporadic cases and small outbreaks in homes are far more common. Some simple at-home safety practices can help curb this problem. How many of the practices below are you following?
  • Set the temperature of your home refrigerator at 41 °F or less.
  • Thaw meat, poultry, and fish in the refrigerator or microwave, not on your kitchen counter.
  • Put your leftovers, particularly those containing meat, chicken, or fish in the refrigerator immediately, rather than cooling them to room temperature first (or leaving them at room temperature for a long period).
  • Cool it! When shopping, purchase meat last to keep it cool longer and choose meat that is tightly wrapped. Store purchases in the refrigerator or freezer at proper temperatures.
  • Clean it! To keep food as safe as possible, use paper towels and hot soapy water to clean hands, utensils, counters, and cutting boards. Don't put cooked and ready-to-eat foods in contact with raw food.
  • Cook it! Cook ground meats until no pink color remains, cook at the proper temperatures, and cook all meat and poultry as evenly as possible (turning it regularly; covering if it's cooked in the microwave).
 
325 °F -- Minimum temperature for oven setting to cook meat and poultry.

165 °F -- Temperature of uncooked ground poultry for safe cooking, or all cooked leftovers, reheated.

160 °F -- Temperature of uncooked ground meat safe for cooking.

140 °F -- Minimum temperature of hot takeout food safe for safe eating.

CONVERT

Subtract 32, multiply by 5, and then divide by 9.


Multiply by 9, divide by 5, and then add 32.