Released: June 21, 2001

Households Flunk Food Safety Tests

MANHATTAN, Kan. – When it comes to keeping food safe, simply knowing what to do isn’t the same as doing it.

In fact, in a recent food safety study, researchers observed in-home meal preparation, service, post-meal clean-up, and handling of leftovers. They identified at least one critical food safety violation in three out of four households participating in the survey, said Karen Penner, Kansas State University Research and Extension food safety specialist.

The 2000 Home Food Safety Study was conducted by Audits International, which conducts thousands of restaurant evaluations each year.

"One critical violation can be enough to send someone to the hospital. Anyone can be at risk, but children who don’t have fully developed immune systems, the elderly, and others whose immune system may be compromised by a severe chronic illness or medical treatments such as chemotherapy may have a greater risk from food borne illness," Penner said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 76 million people are sickened by foodborne illness each year. About 5,000 people die from it.

Food safety mistakes occur at all income and educational levels. Many of the most common mistakes, like neglecting to wash hands before handling food or not refrigerating leftovers promptly, can be corrected fairly easily, said Penner, who offered these tips:

*Wash your hands. Food safety researchers recommend washing hands in warm-to-hot

water with soap, lathering for 20 seconds. Wash hands when entering the kitchen, each time after raw food is handled, and also before and after eating. Dry hands on a disposable paper towel, rather than a kitchen towel that may be used in food preparation or clean-up.

* Avoid eating under-done meats. Buy a meat thermometer and use it.

"Using a meat thermometer is the only sure way to tell if meat is cooked completely and safe to eat," said Penner, who cited research at Kansas State University that prompted changes in the cooking recommendations for ground beef.

"Meat scientists discovered that ground beef may brown at different rates – a ground beef patty that is well browned may not be cooked completely, while another that is slightly pink in the center is safe to eat. Ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees F," she said.

Meat thermometers can be purchased at hardware and department stores; kitchen shops; and many supermarkets. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, the food safety specialist said.

* Curb cross contamination.

Transferring potentially harmful bacteria from one food to another can occur when food preparers neglect to wash their hands after handling raw foods or when the same utensils – such as knives and cutting boards – are used for different tasks without being washed in between.

"Reducing cross contamination is largely a matter of cleanliness and paying attention as you cook," said Penner, who recommended washing utensils in hot, soapy water and sanitizing kitchen counters regularly.

To sanitize a countertop, mix one teaspoon of unscented laundry bleach with one quart of warm water, the food safety specialist said.

* Resist the temptation to sample cookie dough or other mixtures that may include raw and/or unpasteurized eggs.

"Salmonella can be passed from a hen to an egg before the eggshell is formed," said Penner, who noted that newer recipes for homemade ice cream call for cooked custard rather than raw eggs as ingredients. Or, use pasteurized egg products available at the market.

* Store leftovers promptly.

"Transfer leftovers (and other cooked foods that will be served at a later time) to shallow containers (pans or bowls, for example) to speed cooling, then cover and refrigerate them promptly," Penner said.

If leftovers will not be used in a day or two, they should be wrapped well, labeled, dated and frozen for future use, the food safety specialist said.

For more information on food safety and storage, interested persons can contact the local K-State Research and Extension office.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Nancy Peterson, Communications Specialist
npeterso@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News