As Memorial Day gatherings end, many families find themselves with a lot but delicious leftovers. To not spoil anything, it’s important to make sure these leftovers are safe to eat. Here are some tips:
- Follow The Two-Hour Rule: Remember the two-hour rule for perishable items. Put them in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. If it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter, the limit drops to one hour. Bacteria grows quickly between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, making food unsafe if left out too long. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Use Small and Shallow Containers: Store leftovers in small and shallow containers. These containers cool food faster and reduces the chance for bacteria to grow. Rapid cooling is key for food safety.
- Freeze or Consume Within Four Days: Freeze leftovers within four days if you won’t eat them again. soon. Freezing food stops most bacteria from growing. And for the best taste and texture, eat frozen leftovers within two to six months. And when reheating, make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Observe Proper Reheating Guidelines:
- When reheating, use the microwave, stovetop, or oven rather than a slow cooker. Slow cookers do not heat food evenly or fast enough. Make sure that food reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria.
- During microwaving, cover and rotate the food for even heating. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature in some areas. Don’t forget to bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil.
By following these simple steps, you can safely enjoy your Memorial Day leftovers again, and protect yourself and your family from foodborne diseases.
The Evolution of Food Safety Practices: From Yesterday to Today
Food safety practices have gone through an amazing journey over the years. Originally, people depended on simple methods like smoking, salting, and fermenting to keep food from going bad. But as time went on and technology got better, these methods changed a lot.
One of the key people in this development was a scientist named Louis Pasteur. In the mid-1800s, he came up with pasteurization, a way of heating food to kill harmful bacteria. Pasteur’s work was a game-changer for food safety and is still used today to make things like milk and juices safer to drink.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), established in 1906, also played a major role. They started setting stricter rules to make sure our food is safe. Over the years, these rules have only gotten better, making our food supply one of the safest in the world.
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Food Safety in the News: Key Updates and Trends
In the past couple of years, food safety has made headlines many times. For example, in 2021, there were a number of reports about food recalls due to potential bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella. Brands like Butterball and Sabra had to pull products from shelves. These recalls made many people more aware of checking expiry dates and handling food safely.
Fast-forward to 2022, and new guidelines for food delivery apps came out. With more people ordering food online because of the pandemic, the FDA released tips to ensure that delivered food was safe to eat. Their advice included keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold during delivery. For more insights, you can check out FDA’s official website.
Another big story was the focus on reducing food waste. Both the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched campaigns to teach people how to store food properly so it lasts longer. This helps people waste less and save money.
From The Club
Memorial Day has come and gone, and as much as we want to consume all the food our mothers have prepared, we may just have to store some for later. To preserve its taste and texture, it’s important that we follow and observe proper food-storing steps, we don’t want to spoil anything!