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For more food safety information, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-[PHONE REDACTED]; TTY: 1-[PHONE REDACTED]; www.fsis.usda.gov. For a copy of Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer’s Guide to Food Safety, write: FCIC, Item #604H, Pueblo, CO 81009. Food Safety Steps for Successful Community Meals Whether preparing food for a family reunion or a com- munity gathering, people who are great cooks at home don’t necessarily know how to safely prepare and store large quantities of food for large groups. Food that is mishandled can cause foodborne illness. However, by following some simple steps, volunteer cooks can make the event safe and successful! USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service April 2001 7 Plan Ahead — Make sure the loca- tion meets your needs. • Be sure you have enough oven, stovetop, refrigerator, freezer, and work space. • Find out if there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Store & Prepare Food Safely • Refrigerate or freeze perishable food within 2 hours of shopping or preparing. • Find separate preparation areas in the work space for raw and cooked food. • Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that held raw food. • Wash hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and work surfaces frequently with hot, soapy water. Cook Food to Safe Internal Temperatures — It’s the only way to tell if harmful bacteria are destroyed! • Use a food thermometer to check the inter- nal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other food. Check temperature in sev- eral places to be sure food is safely cooked. • Never partially cook food for finishing later because you increase the risk of bacterial growth. 2 3 Transport Food Safely – Keep hot food HOT. Keep cold food COLD. • Keep cold food at or below 40 Place in a cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels. • Keep hot food at or above 140 Wrap well and place in an insulated container. Need to Reheat? — Food must be hot and steamy for serving. Just “warmed up” is not good enough. • Use the stove, oven, or microwave to reheat food to 165 Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. Keep Food Out of the “Danger Zone” (40–140 • Keep hot food hot — at or above 140 Place cooked food in chafing dishes, pre- heated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers. • Keep cold food cold — at or below 40 Place food in containers on ice. When In Doubt, Throw it Out! • Discard food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. • Place leftovers in shallow containers. Refrigerate or freeze immediately. 4 5 6 7 Fight BAC!TM When preparing for your special event, remember you have the power to Fight BAC!TM and keep your food safe. www.fightbac.org CLEAN Wash hands and surfaces often. SEPARATE Don’t cross- contaminate. COOK Cook to proper temperatures. CHILL Refrigerate 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- Internal Cooking Temperatures Product °F Egg & Egg Dishes Eggs Cook until yolk & white are firm. Egg casseroles 160 Egg sauces, custards 160 Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures Turkey, Chicken 165 Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork 160 Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb Medium Rare 145 Medium 160 Well Done 170 Fresh Pork Medium 160 Well Done 170 Ham Fresh (raw) 160 Fully cooked (to reheat) 140 Roast Beef Cooked commercially, 140 vacuum sealed, and ready-to-eat Product °F Poultry Chicken, Turkey—whole 180 Chicken, Turkey—dark meat 180 Poultry—breast 170 Duck & Goose 180 Stuffing Cooked alone or in bird 165 Sauces, Soups, Gravies, Marinades Used with raw meat, Bring to a boil. poultry, or fish Seafood Fin Fish Cook until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Shrimp, lobster, crab Should turn red and flesh should become pearly opaque. Scallops Should turn milky white or opaque and firm. Clams, mussels, oysters Cook until shells open. Leftovers 165 Note: These temperatures are recommended for consumer cooking. They are not intended for processing, institutional, or foodservice preparation. Food Service Professionals should consult their state or local food code, or health department. USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service (4/01)