Cooking Lesson #1041: Food Safety at School & Work

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Did you know that June 7th is World Food Safety Day? The fourth World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is celebrated to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development. This World Food Safety Day demonstrates the important role that science plays in making informed decisions about food.
 
Did You Know?
It is estimated that over 100 million lunches are prepared every day in our American homes for school children and workers. And many more are purchased each day from delis, cafeterias and take-out and fast and full-service restaurants.
The three most popular take-out items in America are sandwiches, French fries and hamburgers. But how safe is the food we prepare and buy for lunch? Consider this.  Some 24-81 million Americans get sick each year from eating food! This is known as food-borne illness.  And in most cases, it CAN be prevented!

About Food-Borne Illness

• Eating foods that contain certain types of bacteria that are called pathogens sometimes cause food-borne illness. Salmonella is a pathogen you have probably heard of.
• But remember, these types of illnesses don’t just happen! They are usually caused by poor handling of foods in which pathogens are passed from the food handler to the food.
• Believe it or not, bacteria are everywhere—in the air and on our skin, and most are harmless!  The only way you can see them is through a microscope—several million of them can fit on a head of a pin!
• Bacteria particularly like those foods that contain lots of proteins and nutrients like meat, chicken, seafood, eggs and dairy products. These bacteria thrive when the temperature is between 40ºF and 140ºF—so this tells us we must keep perishable foods either very hot (steaming hot) or very cold (refrigerator cold).

What Foods Are Safe to Prepare for Lunch?

• Provided food is properly prepared and stored at the correct TEMPERATURE until lunchtime, most foods are safe to eat.
• Clean preparation of food is essential. Remember to wash hands and work surfaces thoroughly before preparing any food.  Don’t forget to use clean utensils as well. 
• Foods that are usually stored in a refrigerator are not suitable for lunches unless they can be refrigerated or otherwise kept cold until eaten. Exceptions are foods like salad vegetables, fruits and spreads, such as peanut butter or jellies, which are not highly perishable.

So, how can you keep foods cool? Apart from placing them in a refrigerator, here are some other ways:

• Place frozen ice bricks in the lunchbox.
• Use insulated lunch boxes or a cooler. For school children, freeze a drink bottle containing water or fruit juice. Place it in a watertight plastic bag and include with the lunch. Not only will this keep food cold, but the beverage will also be cold, and kids will love it!
• Yogurt and milk can also be frozen.

If you still cannot keep the food cold, avoid including the following foods in the lunchbox:

• All meats apart from dried meat.
• Dairy products—yogurt, soft cheeses and milk (flavored or plain).
• Any other highly perishable food that you would normally keep in the fridge such as mayonnaise, seafood and cooked leftovers.
• Avoid packing perishable foods for lunch that have just been cooked or warmed (e.g., meatloaf or boiled eggs). Such food should always be cooled in the refrigerator before being packed for lunches to prevent bacteria growing on the food.

What About Lunches I Buy?
There are a number of useful things to look for when buying food from take-out stores and other restaurants to ensure the food you purchase is safe.

• Choose an establishment where the premises and food handlers are certified, clean and food is handled with tongs.
• Foods should be protected from contamination by closed displays, sneeze guards, plastic wrap or other suitable covering.
• Cold foods should be cold to the touch and should be displayed either on ice, or in refrigerated conditions. 
• When storing food in the trunk of your car they should be put into a cooler covered appropriately with ice or cold packs.
• Pre-made sandwiches and rolls containing perishable ingredients such as mayonnaise, cheese and meat should always be under refrigeration.
• Food in hot display cabinets should be piping hot. Do not purchase products that are lukewarm. Reheating lukewarm foods can be a hazard.
• Avoid purchasing foods that are stacked too high in hot and cold display cabinets.
• Always ensure that ground meats like hamburgers are cooked right through—there should be no pink meat. The same applies to chicken.
• And one last reminder—always eat food from take-out restaurants immediately. Leaving ready-to-eat foods sitting around can encourage bacteria to grow.

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ChefSecret:  Always Remember:

• When preparing lunches ensure you “Keep it Clean”—your hands, work surfaces and utensils.

• Keep COLD foods COLD—pack perishables in insulated lunch boxes or pack with ice or cold packs.
• When shopping on hot days, keep a cooler in the car with cold packs.
• HOT foods purchased at take-out restaurants should be piping HOT.

• Make sure chicken and ground products are thoroughly cooked.
• If you are in any doubt regarding the safety of food--DON’T EAT IT!

Quip of the Day:  I tried to make a joke about food poisoning, but it was in bad taste. Turns out it had poor deliver-y.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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