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1. How long is it safe to keep a turkey, or
other meat or poultry product, in the freezer?
Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for
quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of Focus on Freezing, which lists optimum
freezing times for best quality.
If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after defrosting.
First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long
and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to
serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. Cook raw food and if you
like the taste and texture, use it. [Source: Focus on Freezing, December 1994]
2. Is it safe to refreeze food that has thawed
completely?
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking,
although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After
cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. And
if previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused
portion.
If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can
refreeze if it has been handled properly. [Source: Focus on Freezing, December 1994]
3. What is the safest way to thaw a frozen turkey?
The USDA recommends three ways to defrost turkeys: in the refrigerator, in cold water
and in the microwave. Never defrost turkey on the counter or in other locations.
- It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Allow about 1 day
for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.
- Turkey may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag.
Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
- Turkey defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because
some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding
partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been
destroyed.
[Source: FOOD SAFETY OF
TURKEY... from Farm to Table, 2001]
[For information on thawing other items, see THE BIG
THAW - Safe Defrosting Methods for Consumers, January 1999]
4. What is a safe internal temperature for cooking meat
and poultry?
Most pathogens are destroyed between 140 and 160
°F. However, for best quality, meat and poultry require various temperatures
for "doneness." A chart, listing safe internal
temperatures for many foods, is part of the brochure Use
A Food Thermometer (April 2000), featuring Thermy™. For more information,
visit the Thermy™ Web pages.
The temperatures on the chart are recommended
for consumer cooking. They are not intended for processing, institutional, or
foodservice preparation. Food service professionals should consult their state
or local food code. [Sources: Kitchen
Thermometers, April 2000; Use
a Food Thermometer, April 2000]
5. How can I safely cook meat or poultry in the microwave
oven?
Microwave Cooking
-
Arrange
food items evenly in a covered dish and add some liquid if needed. Cover the
dish with a lid or plastic wrap; loosen or vent the lid or wrap to let steam
escape. The moist heat that is created will help destroy harmful bacteria
and ensure uniform cooking. Cooking bags also provide safe, even cooking.
-
Do not
cook large cuts of meat on high power (100%). Large cuts of meat should be
cooked on medium power (50%) for longer periods. This allows heat to reach
the center without overcooking outer areas.
-
Stir or
rotate food midway through the microwaving time to eliminate cold spots
where harmful bacteria can survive, and for more even cooking.
-
When
partially cooking food in the microwave to finish cooking on the grill or in
a conventional oven, it is important to transfer the microwaved food to the
other heat source immediately. Never partially cook food and store it for
later use.
-
Use a
food thermometer or the oven’s temperature probe to verify the food has
reached a safe temperature. Place the thermometer in the thickest area of
the meat or poultry—not near fat or bone—and in the thigh of whole
poultry. Cooking times may vary because ovens vary in power and efficiency.
Check in several places to be sure red meat is 160 ° F, whole poultry is
180 ° F. Fish should flake with a fork. Always allow standing time, which
completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food
thermometer.
-
Cooking
whole, stuffed poultry in a microwave is not recommended. The stuffing might
not reach the temperature needed to destroy harmful bacteria.
Microwave Reheating
6. Is it safe to eat leftover food that was left out on
the counter to cool at dinnertime, then forgotten until morning? Will additional cooking
kill the bacteria that may have grown?
No. Bacteria exist everywhere in
nature. They are in the soil, air, water, and the foods we eat. When they have nutrients
(food), moisture, and favorable temperatures, they grow rapidly, increasing in numbers to
the point where some types of bacteria can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in
the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 ° F, some
doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. Some types
will produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking.
Pathogenic bacteria do not generally
affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, one cannot tell that a
food has been mishandled or is dangerous to eat. For example, food that has been left too
long on the counter may be dangerous to eat, but could smell and look fine. If a food has
been left in the "Danger Zone" – between 40 and 140 ° F – for more
than 2 hours, discard it, even though it may look and smell good. Never taste a food to
see if it is spoiled. [Sources: Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage, January
1999; Fighting BAC!™ by Chilling Out,
January 1999; Refrigeration and Food Safety,
January 1999.]
7. Should a large pot of soup sit on the
range until it cools, or should it be refrigerated hot?
Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or it can be rapidly chilled in an
ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. Cover foods to retain moisture and prevent
them from picking up odors from other foods.
A large pot of food like soup or stew should be divided into small portions and put in
shallow containers before being refrigerated. A large cut of meat or whole poultry should
be divided into smaller pieces and wrapped separately or placed in shallow containers
before refrigerating. [Source: Refrigeration and Food Safety, January 1999.]
8. What should I do to keep
refrigerated and frozen foods safe during a power failure ?
KEEP THE FREEZER
DOOR CLOSED. Keep what cold
air you have inside. Don’t open the door any more than
necessary. You’ll be relieved to know that a full freezer
will stay at freezing temperatures about 2 days; a half-full
freezer about 1 day. If your freezer is not full, group packages
so they form an "igloo" to protect each other. Place
them to one side or on a tray so that if they begin thawing,
their juices won’t get on other food. And, if you think
power will be out for several days, try to find some dry ice. Although dry ice can be used in the refrigerator,
block ice is better. You can put it in the refrigerator’s
freezer unit along with your refrigerated perishables such as
meat, poultry, and dairy items.
EVEN IF FOOD HAS
STARTED TO THAW, SOME FOODS CAN BE SAFELY KEPT. The foods in your
freezer that partially or completely thaw before power is
restored may be safely refrozen if they still contain ice
crystals or are 40 ° F or below. You will have to evaluate each
item separately. Generally, be very careful with meat and
poultry products or any food containing milk, cream, sour cream,
or soft cheese. When in doubt, throw them out.
In general, refrigerated
items should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4
hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any
perishable foods (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and
leftovers) that have been above 40 ºF for 2 hours or more, and
any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture, or feels
warm to the touch.
KEEP AN
APPLIANCE THERMOMETER IN THE REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER AT ALL
TIMES. This will remove
the guesswork of just how cold the unit is because it will give
you the exact temperature. The key to determining the safety of
foods in the refrigerator and freezer is knowing how cold they
are. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 ºF or below; the
freezer, 0 ºF or lower.
More detailed information, along with a chart that tells which foods may be saved and which should
be thrown out, may be found in Keeping Food Safe During A
Power Outage. [Source: Keeping Food Safe During A
Power Outage, January 1999]
9. How can I safely transport perishable foods to a
picnic site, community supper, or family gathering?
If taking food away from home--on a picnic, for example--try to plan just the right
amount of perishable foods to take. That way, you won't have to worry about the storage or
safety of leftovers.
Items which don't require refrigeration include fruits, vegetables, hard cheese, canned
meat or fish, chips, bread, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, and pickles. You
don't need to pack them in a cooler.
After estimating the amount of food which needs to be kept cold, pack an insulated
cooler with sufficient ice or gel packs to keep the food at 40 °F. Pack food right from
the refrigerator or freezer into it.
Why? Bacteria grow and multiply rapidly in the danger zone between 40 °F and 140 °F
(out of the refrigerator or before food begins to cook). So, food transported without an
ice source or left out in the sun at a picnic won't stay safe long.
If packing a bag lunch or lunch box, it's fine to prepare the food the night before and
store the packed lunch in the refrigerator.
To keep the lunch cool away from home, pack a small frozen gel pack or frozen juice
box. Of course, if there's a refrigerator at work, store perishable items there upon
arrival. Leftover perishables which have been kept refrigerated should be safe to take
home. But once gel packs and other cold sources melt, perishables are not safe -- discard
them.
When taking food to a picnic, don't put the cooler in the trunk; carry it inside the
air-conditioned car. At the picnic, keep the cooler in the shade. Keep the lid closed and
avoid repeated openings. Replenish the ice if it melts. [For
more information: Keeping "Bag" Lunches
Safe, 2001]
10. Are canned goods still safe after a year? Two years?
Longer?
Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them
above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to
high or low temperature extremes. Store high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit
up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years.
Canned meat and poultry will keep at best quality 2 to 5 years if the can remains in
good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst
danger in canned goods. NEVER USE food from containers that show possible
"botulism" warnings: leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans; cracked jars or
jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that
spurts liquid when opening. DON'T TASTE SUCH FOOD! Even a minuscule amount of botulinum
toxin can be deadly.
Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as
tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to
eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.
[Sources/Additional Information: Meat
Packaging Materials, 2000; Food Safety for
Persons With AIDS, 2000]
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