Is Your Food Losing Its Cool?

Summer temperatures make it more difficult to maintain foods at safe temperatures. Here are some tips on how to keep the food you serve your family safe to eat.

• Use a thermometer to monitor the

  temperature of your refrigerator regularly to assure that it is consistently 41°F or below.

• Your freezer temperature should be 0°F or

below.

• Have your refrigerator or freezer serviced if it is not keeping foods cold enough.

• Make your grocery shopping your last stop before you go home.

• Refrigerate (or freeze) meat, poultry, seafood, milk, cheese, sprouts, and other perishables within two hours after purchasing. Refrigerate within one hour if the temperature outside is above 90°F.

• Remember that tomatoes and melons need to be refrigerated after they are

  cut.

• Always marinate food in the refrigerator.

• Plan your food preparation so as to minimize opening and closing the doors on your refrigerator.

• Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are four

  safe ways to defrost food:

  • In the refrigerator

  • In cold water

  • In the microwave

  • As part of the cooking process

• Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.

• Cool food rapidly after cooking by:

  • Dividing larger amounts of food for storage in several smaller containers

  • Putting it in shallow containers where the food is not more than 2”-3” deep

  • Using an ice bath to rapidly chill foods (as pictured at right)

  • Cooling foods in metal containers instead of plastic or ceramic ones

  • Leaving the food uncovered until after it cools

  • Refrigerating food promptly

• Refrigerate leftovers immediately after a meal is over

• Discard any perishable foods that have been out of temperature control for more

  than two hours.

• When taking perishable food to a picnic or party, transport it in a cooler on ice

• When serving food outdoors, store and serve the food in a shaded area whenever possible

• When setting up an outdoor buffet, it is best to serve perishable foods on ice

• Discard any perishable foods that have been out of temperature control for more

  than an hour if the temperature is above 85°F