Food Safety Tips - Environmental Health - Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health

Environmental Health

Food Safety

In any given two-week period, 85% of all Americans will eat at least one meal outside the home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illness causes 76 million sicknesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year.

Our Environmental Health professionals inspect about 2,000 food service establishments for a 15-county area through a contract with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. In 1999, this area experienced 26 foodborne illness events, which involved 333 people. Depending upon the amount and type of food preparation within a facility, Environmental Health conducts one to three inspections per year for every food operation within our 15-county area.

Our inspectors look at the physical conditions of the establishment as well as the food handling practices of the employees. In addition, our department investigates food service complaints and conducts food sanitation training. Licenses are required for all food service establishments and are available by calling 641-421-9336. How does your favorite restaurant rate? Review the inspections.

Food safety is just as important in your home. Please follow these food safety tips:

Use caution when you buy food

When shopping, buy perishable foods last (such as meat, eggs, milk)
Avoid raw or unpasturized milk
Because eggs, meat, seafood and poultry are most likely to contain bacteria, do not allow their juices to drip on other food
Shop for groceries when you can take food home right away so that it does not spoil in a hot car

Store your food properly

Store eggs, raw meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator
Store foods in containers to prevent contaminating other foods or kitchen surfaces
Set your refrigerator between 36 and 38 degrees
Set your freezer at 0 degrees
Regularly clean and disinfect the refrigerator and freezer

Use special precautions when preparing and cooking food
Wash your hands, clean and disinfect kitchen surfaces before, during and after handling cooking, and serving food.
Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating them.
Thaw food on a plate either in the refrigerator or in a microwave, but not on the counter.
Cook food immediately after thawing.
Use different dishes and utensils for raw foods than you use for cooked foods.

Cool and promptly store leftovers after food has been served
Because harmful bacteria grow at room temperature, keep hot food hot (140 degrees) and cold food cold (40 degrees or cooler). This is especially important during picnics and buffets.
Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours.
Promptly refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers.
If you have any doubts, throw it out.

Grilling Safety...

Cook food thoroughly -- Meat and poultry cooked on the grill often brown quickly on the outside. Use a stem thermometer that reads 0-220 degrees F to be sure food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Whole poultry should reach 180 degrees F
Chicken breasts should reach 170 degrees F
Hamburgers made of any ground meat or poultry should reach 160 degrees F
Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to 145 degrees F
All cuts of pork should reach 160 degrees F
NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking it later. Cook food completely to destroy harmful bacteria.

Keep hot foods hot - After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, at home or at a picnic, keep it hot until it's served. Keep it hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could become overcooked.

Keep cold food cold - When having a picnic, don't open the cooler lid any more than necessary. This lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in another cooler or container. When handling raw meat, remove from the cooler only the amount that will fit on the grill. Use an insulated cooler filled one-third with ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees.

Wash your hands - Always wash hands after handling raw meat. If you cook in an area where water and soap are not available, you should use moist disinfectant towels.

Serving the food - Never put your cooked meat on the same platter that held the raw meat. Any bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate the safely cooked meat or other grilled foods. During hot weather food should never sit out for more than ONE HOUR.

Storing leftovers - Once the food has been removed from the grill, it should be refrigerated within two hours. Discard food that has been sitting out more than one hour after it was removed from the grill. Avoid using picnic leftovers since the temperatures at the picnic are questionable.

Marinate foods in the refrigerator - never on the counter top. Do not reuse marinade unless it has been boiled.

If you have any questions, or would like information about food safety, or food establishment inspections in North Iowa, contact the Environmental Health section of the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health.