Food Shopping Tips
Buy cold food last… Get it home fast!
- Purchase meat and poultry products last.
- Keep packages of raw meat and poultry separate from other foods.
- Consider using plastic bags to enclose individual packages of raw meat and poultry.
- Make sure meat and poultry products are refrigerated as soon as possible after purchase.
- Canned good should be free of dents, cracks or bulging lids.
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Keep it straight… Don't cross-contaminate!
Food can cause foodborn illness when environmental conditions encourage bacterial growth.
- Don't let juices from raw meat, poultry or seafood come in contact with cooked or raw foods.
- Wash hands, counters, equipment, utensils and cutting boards with soap and water immediately after use.
- Thaw foods in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
- When using a microwave oven to thaw food, cook it immediately after thawing.
- Always wash and rise your cutting board between uses. Use hot, soapy water. Sanitize and air dry.
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Keep hot food hot… Cold foods cold!
Choose a serving style that will allow food to be served as quickly as possible.
- Wash hands with soap and water before serving or eating food.
- Never leave potentially hazardous foods, raw or cooked, at room temperature any longer than necessary-NEVER longer than 2 hours.
- Keep hot foods above 140 degrees and cold foods below 40 degrees.
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Leftover Safety Tips
If in doubt... throw it out!
- Wash hands before and after handling leftovers.
- Use clean utensils and surfaces.
- Divide leftovers into small units and store in shallow containers for quick cooling.
- Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
- Reheat leftovers thoroughly to a temperature of 165 degrees. Bring soups, sauces and gravies to a rolling boil.
- The most common food-handling mistake is cooling food too slowly.
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Cook it well, or time will tell!
Thorough cooking will destroy harmful bacteria.
- Cook food thoroughly. If harmful bacteria are present, only thorough cooking will destroy them.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine if your meat, poultry or casserole has reached a safe internal temperature.
- Avoid interrupted cooking. Never partially cook products to later finish them on the grill or in the oven.
- When microwaving foods, use microwave-safe containers. Cover, rotate, and allow for standing time, which contributes to thorough cooking.
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Don't wait… Refrigerate!
Proper storage maintains quality and prevents contamination.
- At home, refrigerate or re-wrap and freeze meat, fish and poultry immediately.
- To prevent raw juices from dripping on other foods, store meat, fish and poultry in plastic bags or on a plate.
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood products.
- Store canned goods in a cool, clean, dry place. Avoid extreme heat or cold.
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Food Safety Links
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