Agency Gives Tips on Take-Out Food Safety

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a brochure that specifically addresses safe handling of take-out foods. Among the department’s recommendations:

For foods purchased or delivered hot:

* Eat within two hours.

* To keep the food hot within those two hours, set the oven temperature high enough to keep the food at 140 degrees or above. Check internal temperature of food with a meat thermometer. Covering with foil will also keep the food moist.

* It’s not a good idea to keep the food hot longer than two hours. It will taste better if you place it in shallow containers, divide large quantities, cover loosely and refrigerate immediately. It is safe to freeze leftovers; wrap tightly for best quality.

* Reheat leftovers thoroughly to a temperature of 165 degrees, or until hot and steaming. In the microwave, cover food and rotate so it heats evenly. Consult your microwave manual for recommended times and power levels.

For food delivered cold:

* Refrigerate immediately. Cold food should be held at 40 degrees or colder.

* Perishable food should not be at room temperature longer than two hours. If the food has been sitting inside or outside where the temperature is 90 degrees or above, discard it after one hour.

* Keep food cold on a buffet table by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Use small platters of food, and replace them with fresh platters, rather than adding fresh food to a dish that already has food in it.

The government also suggests that takeout leftovers be stored no longer than three to four days for cooked meat or poultry, pizza or fried chicken and three to five days for deli convenience foods such as egg, tuna or macaroni salads or sliced luncheon meats.

For leftovers that are frozen, officials recommend they be used in three to six months for cooked meat or poultry dishes; four months for fried chicken; one to two months for deli sliced luncheon meats; and three to four months for deli prepared convenience foods.

For more information, call the USDA’s meat and poultry hotline at (800) 535-4555 or the Industry Council on Food Safety at (800) 456-0111.