Keep Your Food Safe

Do you know how to keep your food safe? Try this true-false quiz to see!

1. To keep most bacteria in a state of suspended animation, keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees F.

2. Although using a thermometer is the only way to know for sure the temperature of your refrigerator, only one in four households uses one.

3. Looking at and sniffing food is a reliable way to determine if most foods are safe to eat.

4. It’s okay to trim away the mold from hard cheeses or firm fruits or vegetables, such as carrots or bell peppers, and eat the rest.

5. The five-second rule, that it is safe to eat a food if it is picked up within five seconds of being dropped, is a myth.

6. Foods kept frozen continuously at 0 degrees F or colder are safe to eat indefinitely.

7. During a power outage, meat and seafood should not be refrozen if the power has been out for over 8 hours.

The answers: 1. T 2. F, only one in nine uses a thermometer. 3. F., this will detect the presence of spoilage microorganisms, not necessarily food pathogens. 4. T, it’s difficult for the mold to penetrate dense foods. However, if you find spots of mold on porous foods like bread or soft foods such as yogurt, discard the food because it could be contaminated below the surface. 5. T, this is a myth; the food picks up bacteria immediately on contact. 6. T, although the taste and appearance may deteriorate over time. 7. F, they can be refrozen if they still contain ice crystals or the freezer temperature has not risen above 40 degrees F.

Source: Nutrition Action Healthletter November 2011