September is National Food Safety Education Month. Anytime is a good time to
think about food safety. But this dedicated month is an ideal opportunity for you
to refresh your food safety skills.

While we have one of the safest food supplies in the world, every year an
estimated one in six Americans gets foodborne illness (also called food poisoning). That’s about 48 million cases each year. Each year, these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Paying attention to some food safety basics can help lower your chance of getting sick.

Foodborne illnesses are not always the last thing you ate. Usually the dangerous
foodborne bacteria or viruses will cause an illness within one to three days of
eating the contaminated food. But it could occur within 20 minutes or up to six
weeks after eating the contaminated foods. Symptoms of foodborne illness can
include: vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain–and flu-like symptoms, such as
fever, headache, and body ache. Although most healthy people will recover from
a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some people can develop
chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

Foodborne illness can be prevented through thoughtful handling, purchasing,
storage and cooking of food. My friend, Alice Henneman, a retired Extension
colleague from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln developed this food safety
quiz. Give it a try. See how much you know about food safety.

Question 1: How long will food stored constantly at 0° F remain safe?

1. 1 to 2 years
2. 5 years
3. Indefinitely

Question 2: What temperature is recommended for your refrigerator?

1. 50° F
2. 45° F
3. 41° F

Question 3: Since only the inside of melons (such as watermelon) is eaten, does their outer rind need to be washed?

1. Yes
2. No

Question 4: Should you wash raw meat and poultry before preparing it?

1. Yes
2. No

Question 5: If you've never gotten sick from food that you prepare — even though you don't follow food safety guidelines — could it make someone else sick?

1. Yes
2. No

Answers:
1. 3. Indefinitely. Don’t forget that safety and quality are two different things. Food will be safe indefinitely at 0° F though the quality will decrease the longer it is in the freezer. The general recommendation is less than one year in the freezer for maximum quality.

2. 3. 41° F. Keep your refrigerator at 41° F or below. Buy an inexpensive
appliance thermometer for both your fridge and your freezer; check them
often. Don’t rely on the refrigerator’s built-in thermometer. Most pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses grow very slowly in cooler temperatures. Get food into the refrigerator as soon as possible after meal. Remember the “two-hour rule”—food should not be kept at room temperature for longer than two hours. Longer time is enough for foodborne pathogens to grow to levels that can make you sick.

3. 1. Yes. Bacteria present in soil can contaminate the outside of melons.
When melons are cut, these bacteria are transferred to the part we eat. It’s
best to wash the outside of melons before cutting. Once cut, this fruit
should be refrigerated.

4. 2. No. Washing meat and chicken does not remove the pathogens that
can make you sick. Washing only increases the danger of cross- contamination by spreading bacteria present on the surface of meat and poultry to nearby ready-to-eat foods, kitchen utensils and counter surfaces. Cooking meat and poultry to the recommended internal temperature will make them safe to eat. Get a food thermometer to assure you have reached the appropriate temperatures.

5. 1. Yes. Some people have a greater risk for foodborne illnesses. A food
you safely eat might make others sick. People with a higher risk for
foodborne illness include infants, pregnant women, young children, older
adults, people with weakened immune systems and individuals with
certain chronic diseases. Take special care when you have guests (or
perhaps you’ve grown older and may be in this higher risk range).

Recognize National Food Safety Month by reviewing (and possibly revising)
some of your practices. Just because you’ve always done it this way does not
necessarily make it safe.

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Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached
at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by
email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu