The Hamburger Trail : Home Safe

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that all packages of raw meats carry safe handling instructions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also issued food safety recommendations.

The federal guidelines include:

* Select dairy products, raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood last when grocery shopping. Go directly home after food shopping and store perishables in the refrigerator or freezer immediately.

* Keep raw meats and poultry separate from all other foods during shopping, refrigerated storage and preparation. Otherwise, bacteria that may be present in the raw meat, poultry or seafood might contaminate a cooked or ready-to-eat food.

* Keep raw meats and poultry refrigerated or frozen. Thaw frozen food only in the refrigerator or microwave. Do not thaw foods at room temperature.

* Wash all surfaces that come in contact with raw meats and poultry with hot water and soap. Among those items of particular concern are cutting boards, utensils, hands, sink basins, refrigerator shelves or drawers, dish towels and aprons.

* Keep aprons, kitchen towels, cloths and sponges clean. Do not reuse dish cloths or sponges that have been used to clean meat or poultry juices without thoroughly washing. Replace sponges frequently.

* If marinating raw meat, poultry or seafood, keep the dish stored in the refrigerator and never on the kitchen counter.

* Cook raw meats and poultry thoroughly. Ground meats, in particular, should be cooked until the interior is no longer pink--between 155 degrees and 160 degrees.

* Once cooked, serve hot foods hot--above 140 degrees. Once prepared, keep cold foods cold--below 40 degrees. Do not let cold foods stand at room temperature for more than one hour.

* Refrigerate leftover meats immediately or discard.

* Call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline with any questions about food safety or product wholesomeness. The toll free number is (800) 535-4555.