Monday, November 27, 2006
Luminous Safety in Your Home...
+++
I love doing this sort of thing... Sharing the Good News - the good ideas - the good example! AND adding a dose of sarcastic wit to the mix! It does make for such a savoury concoction, you HAVE to admit now - hmm? ;)
Let's see any TV Chef do as well as THIS...!
Food Safety in Your Home...
At the store
Never leave meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and other perishable foods in a hot car!
Take a cooler along.
Head straight for the refrigerator or freezer.
And, once you're there, shove it all in the freezer and slam the door shut as if your life depended on it!
Seriously now, an extra few minutes won't cause botulism, don't worry... But if you are REALLY worried - always buy a bag of frozen vegetables along with your cuts of meat or your fish or your poultry... Pack it with the meat/seafood/poultry in the same bag and the frozen veggies right on top of it! Or you can have your supermarket bagger pack it as you wish - if he cooperates that is! Many of them are just "not there", if you know what I mean...
In your refrigerator
Don’t let juices from raw meat, poultry and seafood drip on other foods. Store on bottom shelf in refrigerator.
Keep the refrigerator at 40 F or lower and freezer at 0 F.
Guys are always told to "not be a drip"...
Certainly we do not want to consume food that is, now do we?
As for the temperatures... Can we please have that in celsius as well? *lol*
At your kitchen counter
Always wash hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds before preparing food and also after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
It is, also, an excellent idea to thoroughly wash your hands BEFORE handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and any other food that you might be preparing! It will be all the more appetizing for yourself and (mostly) your guests as well - trust me on this one!
Wash counter tops, cutting boards, knives, sink and faucet handle with hot soapy water right after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat, poultry and seafood. Again - wash it BEFORE preparing anything on it too - same logic to it! ;)
Don’t let raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices touch ready-to-eat food.
I suggest singing a little song along to remember that now - every time you're at your kitchen counter preparing a dish, sing out loud Rough Trade's NO CONTACT... It works!!! ;)
Never put cooked food on a plate that first held raw meat, poultry or seafood.
I must be repeating myself here, but here goes... First wash the plates BEFORE you use them!!!
Always thaw food in the refrigerator, never on the kitchen counter. If you thaw in the microwave, cook it immediately.
You may thaw the aforementioned frozen vegetables on the counter - but only them now!
Ready to cook? Who ever is?
Cook food thoroughly – ground meats to at least 155 F or until juices are clear, poultry (whole and ground) to 165 F, seafood to 145 F.
Gee - anti-celsius, aren't we? Here: go to this site for quick and easy conversions - if you're like ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD except in the stubborn USofA!!!
Ready to serve?
Hold hot food above 140 F and cold food below 40 F.
High-brow people like their hot food held with high esteem and great regards... Cold food is beneath them...
Never leave prepared and perishable foods at room temperature longer than two hours.
Remember now: expiry dates do NOT mean that you can easily exceed this two-hour limit...
Any Leftovers? Bow wows love 'em!
Use small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165 F.
The only time ever repertoriated in modern history known to man that being "shallow" is actually a GOOD THING...
Disinfection of Dishcloths and Sponges with the Microwave
Yeah - JUST NUKE 'EM! Dubya will love it...
Studies have shown that cloths, sponges, and other kitchen food contact surfaces are important factors in cross-contamination of foods. Transfer of bacteria from these other contaminated surfaces, such as sinks and cutting boards, has been shown. These cleaning materials can serve as bacterial reservoirs and also as cross-contaminating agents. It is believed that this problem is responsible for a significant number of food-borne illnesses each year.
Do not encourage cross-contamination and bacterial transfers now! The formation of reservoirs is one boundary NOT to be crossed into - EVER! Close the gates and leave the enemy gaping behind - NUKE 'EM I SAY! Look at the benefits:
When exposed on the highest setting of an 800 watt microwave oven, a dry cellulose sponge was disinfected after 30 seconds. A wet sponge, was disinfected after 60 seconds. With dishcloths, disinfection of a dry cloth again took 30 seconds, but a wet cloth required 3 minutes. Overall, a microwave oven can be very effective in killing bacteria in cellulose sponges and cotton dishcloths. (from CDE Colorado Communique)
No denying it now - nuking things is the way of the future!
Keep this as a home food safety reference – posted on the inside panel of your kitchen cupboard, on your refrigerator door or any other place nearby.
Nota Bene: you have to print it out first!
Glad to be of service! :)
Try microwaving your sponges to kill bacteria, instead of using antibiotic filled soaps. With overuse of antibiotics causing a major antibiotic resistence problem, you can do your part by killing bacteria in the microwave! Since sponges harbor bacteria, this is an easy method for getting rid of it. All you have to do is wring your sponge so it's not wet, and microwave on high for about 30 seconds each day!
Thirty seconds and you're done! Man, that is quick and efficient! Nuking bacteria has the distinct advantage that it will NOT weigh down on your conscience much afterwards... No R.R.S. (Roosevelt Remorse Syndrome) looming on the horizon - ever! Think of that - and repeat the following mantra NOW:
For Today's Daily Action, I will nuke my sponges to kill bacteria rather than use antibiotic soaps.
AMEN?
Oh - and swear allegiance to the flag, eat your fibers, drink your milk, swallow an aspirin a day and take your vitamins! *lol*
Link
I love doing this sort of thing... Sharing the Good News - the good ideas - the good example! AND adding a dose of sarcastic wit to the mix! It does make for such a savoury concoction, you HAVE to admit now - hmm? ;)
Let's see any TV Chef do as well as THIS...!
Food Safety in Your Home...
At the store
Never leave meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and other perishable foods in a hot car!
Take a cooler along.
Head straight for the refrigerator or freezer.
And, once you're there, shove it all in the freezer and slam the door shut as if your life depended on it!
Seriously now, an extra few minutes won't cause botulism, don't worry... But if you are REALLY worried - always buy a bag of frozen vegetables along with your cuts of meat or your fish or your poultry... Pack it with the meat/seafood/poultry in the same bag and the frozen veggies right on top of it! Or you can have your supermarket bagger pack it as you wish - if he cooperates that is! Many of them are just "not there", if you know what I mean...
In your refrigerator
Don’t let juices from raw meat, poultry and seafood drip on other foods. Store on bottom shelf in refrigerator.
Keep the refrigerator at 40 F or lower and freezer at 0 F.
Guys are always told to "not be a drip"...
Certainly we do not want to consume food that is, now do we?
As for the temperatures... Can we please have that in celsius as well? *lol*
At your kitchen counter
Always wash hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds before preparing food and also after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
It is, also, an excellent idea to thoroughly wash your hands BEFORE handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and any other food that you might be preparing! It will be all the more appetizing for yourself and (mostly) your guests as well - trust me on this one!
Wash counter tops, cutting boards, knives, sink and faucet handle with hot soapy water right after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat, poultry and seafood. Again - wash it BEFORE preparing anything on it too - same logic to it! ;)
Don’t let raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices touch ready-to-eat food.
I suggest singing a little song along to remember that now - every time you're at your kitchen counter preparing a dish, sing out loud Rough Trade's NO CONTACT... It works!!! ;)
Never put cooked food on a plate that first held raw meat, poultry or seafood.
I must be repeating myself here, but here goes... First wash the plates BEFORE you use them!!!
Always thaw food in the refrigerator, never on the kitchen counter. If you thaw in the microwave, cook it immediately.
You may thaw the aforementioned frozen vegetables on the counter - but only them now!
Ready to cook? Who ever is?
Cook food thoroughly – ground meats to at least 155 F or until juices are clear, poultry (whole and ground) to 165 F, seafood to 145 F.
Gee - anti-celsius, aren't we? Here: go to this site for quick and easy conversions - if you're like ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD except in the stubborn USofA!!!
Ready to serve?
Hold hot food above 140 F and cold food below 40 F.
High-brow people like their hot food held with high esteem and great regards... Cold food is beneath them...
Never leave prepared and perishable foods at room temperature longer than two hours.
Remember now: expiry dates do NOT mean that you can easily exceed this two-hour limit...
Any Leftovers? Bow wows love 'em!
Use small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165 F.
The only time ever repertoriated in modern history known to man that being "shallow" is actually a GOOD THING...
Disinfection of Dishcloths and Sponges with the Microwave
Yeah - JUST NUKE 'EM! Dubya will love it...
Studies have shown that cloths, sponges, and other kitchen food contact surfaces are important factors in cross-contamination of foods. Transfer of bacteria from these other contaminated surfaces, such as sinks and cutting boards, has been shown. These cleaning materials can serve as bacterial reservoirs and also as cross-contaminating agents. It is believed that this problem is responsible for a significant number of food-borne illnesses each year.
Do not encourage cross-contamination and bacterial transfers now! The formation of reservoirs is one boundary NOT to be crossed into - EVER! Close the gates and leave the enemy gaping behind - NUKE 'EM I SAY! Look at the benefits:
When exposed on the highest setting of an 800 watt microwave oven, a dry cellulose sponge was disinfected after 30 seconds. A wet sponge, was disinfected after 60 seconds. With dishcloths, disinfection of a dry cloth again took 30 seconds, but a wet cloth required 3 minutes. Overall, a microwave oven can be very effective in killing bacteria in cellulose sponges and cotton dishcloths. (from CDE Colorado Communique)
No denying it now - nuking things is the way of the future!
Keep this as a home food safety reference – posted on the inside panel of your kitchen cupboard, on your refrigerator door or any other place nearby.
Nota Bene: you have to print it out first!
Glad to be of service! :)
Try microwaving your sponges to kill bacteria, instead of using antibiotic filled soaps. With overuse of antibiotics causing a major antibiotic resistence problem, you can do your part by killing bacteria in the microwave! Since sponges harbor bacteria, this is an easy method for getting rid of it. All you have to do is wring your sponge so it's not wet, and microwave on high for about 30 seconds each day!
Thirty seconds and you're done! Man, that is quick and efficient! Nuking bacteria has the distinct advantage that it will NOT weigh down on your conscience much afterwards... No R.R.S. (Roosevelt Remorse Syndrome) looming on the horizon - ever! Think of that - and repeat the following mantra NOW:
For Today's Daily Action, I will nuke my sponges to kill bacteria rather than use antibiotic soaps.
AMEN?
Oh - and swear allegiance to the flag, eat your fibers, drink your milk, swallow an aspirin a day and take your vitamins! *lol*
Link
