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8 Food Safety Myths Busted By Sharon Palmer, R.D.
You can protect yourself against foodborne illness by getting accurate information. Our food safety expert cuts through the hype on some of today's most widespread food safety myths
Nearly three-quarters of consumers are more concerned about food
safety vs. five years ago, according to a Deloitte 2011 Consumer Food
and Product Insights Survey. This represents a jump of eight
percentage points since the same survey was conducted in 2011.
Food safety is even a national topic; President Barack Obama recently
signed into law the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food
Safety Modernization Act, which aims to keep our food supply safe by
shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to
contamination to preventing it.
Escalating concerns over food safety have given rise to myths and
confusion over how you can best protect yourself from foodborne
illness in your home. According to Jamie Stamey, M.S., R.D., a food
safety consultant who spoke about food safety myths at a January, 2011
Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group presentation,
"Myths may have just enough science or good sense to be believable.
They frequently travel quickly through informal media."
You can protect yourself against foodborne illness by getting accurate
information. Our food safety expert cuts through the hype on some of
today's most widespread food safety myths:
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Mythbuster: According to the FDA Food Code, a solution of one
tablespoon of bleach per one gallon of water is suitable for killing
harmful bacteria that may linger on kitchen countertops. There are no
advantages to using more bleach.
2. Myth: Lemon juice and salt will clean and sanitize a cutting board.
Mythbuster: "Lemon juice and salt will not reliably sanitize a
surface," says Stamey. She suggests washing cutting boards with hot
water and soap; and then sanitizing them with a chlorine bleach
solution of one tablespoon per gallon of water (or ¾ teaspoon per
quart.)
3. Myth: I don't need to wash my produce if I'm going to peel it.
Mythbuster: Harmful bacteria could be on the outside of the produce,
so if you peel or cut it without first washing it, the bacteria could
be transferred via the knife or cutting board to the part that you
eat. "Wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water just
before eating, cutting or cooking," Stamey suggests. "Never use
detergent or bleach; these products are not intended for consumption.
Packaged fruits and vegetables labeled 'ready-to-eat,' 'washed,' or
'triple washed' need not be washed, if they are used straight from the
package."
4. Myth: You shouldn't put hot food in the refrigerator.
Mythbuster: "Bacteria grow rapidly in the "danger zone" between 40
degrees F and 140 degrees F. Holding food at room temperature keeps it
in the danger zone longer," explains Stamey, who suggests that you
follow the "two hour" rule: Put food in the refrigerator as soon after
cooking as possible -- at least within two hours of cooking. In
addition, dividing a large pot of food such as soup or stew into
small, shallow containers helps it cool more quickly. And remember to
keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below.
5. Myth: Once a hamburger turns brown in the middle, it's cooked.
Mythbuster: "Visual cues are inaccurate guidelines in determining
whether hamburger is cooked to a safe internal temperature," says
Stamey. The only way to know that hamburger has been cooked to a safe
internal temperature is to use a food thermometer; ground beef should
be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
6. Myth: If I put raw chicken in a colander and rinse it with water,
it will remove bacteria like salmonella.
Mythbuster: "There's no way to rinse away all bacteria on poultry,"
says Stamey. In fact, rinsing raw poultry is not a recommended safety
step and can cause cross-contamination of bacteria to other foods and
surfaces. Bacteria in poultry are inactivated when the poultry is
cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
7. Myth: Leftovers are safe to eat until they smell bad.
Mythbuster: The types of bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause
illness do not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food,
stresses Stamey. The FDA recommends that you freeze or discard
refrigerated leftovers within 3-4 days, or immediately if you're
unsure how long they've been sitting in the refrigerator.
8. Myth: The "stand time" recommended on the package for cooking
microwaveable foods is optional. (For example, package directions may
read, "Cook in microwave for 5 minutes, let stand for 2 minutes.")
It's just so you don't burn yourself.
Mythbuster: According to the FDA Food Code, the stand time is required
as part of the cooking time because it allows heat to be conducted
throughout the product. Using a thermometer is recommended to make
sure that food has reached a safe internal temperature.
(Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of
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