Use this quick reference to learn best-practices for safe food handling.
Safety Tips for Meat
Prevent foodborne illness by following these safety guidelines when handling and cooking meat.
Storage
- Store meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator, away from the door.
- Make sure packages are sealed completely to avoid drips.
- Freeze meat if it will not be cooked within two days (beef: steaks, chops, and roasts are okay for three or four days).
- If you plan to freeze meat for longer than two months, remove wrapping, then rewrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and a plastic freezer bag.
- If meat is frozen, it will remain safe indefinitely (as long as it isn't frozen after it’s spoiled), though there are more specific freezing hold-times for retaining the meat's quality:
Thawing
There are three methods of defrosting:
- Refrigerator (The amount of time needed to thaw will depend on the size of the piece of meat; a whole chicken will take 24 hours to two days, whereas smaller, cut-up pieces of meat will take two to nine hours.)
- Cold water bath
- Microwave on defrost
Prep/Cooking
- Always use a clean cutting board and clean utensils when handling meat.
- For chicken: rinse with cold water, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels before preparing.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine when meat is done, taking care not to touch the bone. (See sidebar for specific grilling times.)
- Meat will continue to cook once it's removed from the heat source, so you can pull it out of the oven or off the grill a few degrees below the target temperature--just keep the thermometer in place and make sure the temperature climbs to a safe heat.
Safe Eggs
- Buy Grade A or AA eggs that have been refrigerated--check expiration date.
- Keep eggs in original carton and do not wash them--this removes a protective coating.
- Store eggs in refrigerator kept at 40 degree F (4 degrees C), in a colder part of the fridge--not in the door.
- Fresh eggs can be kept safely in the refrigerator for three to five weeks from the date of purchase--not from the date on the carton.
- Eat or refrigerate cooked eggs immediately--use cooked, refrigerated eggs within three to four days or freeze for longer storage.
Cutting Boards
- Which type is best? The USDA indicates wood or nonporous cutting boards like plastic, glass, marble, or pyroceramic can be used, though the nonporous ones are easier to clean.
- Designate. Avoid cross-contamination by getting different colored cutting boards and always using the same one for meat and poultry, and another one for produce.
- Cleaning. There are a few options:
1) Wash with hot, soapy water; rinse; and pat dry with clean paper towels
2) Most nonporous can go in dishwasher, as can solid wood boards
3) All types can be sanitized by soaking them for several minutes in a bleach solution (see sidebar for proportions). Rinse with water and dry with clean paper towels.
For more food safety and sanitation information, go to the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) Web site, FightBAC®!