Food Safety for Handling and Cooking Poultry
The Importance of Refrigeration - A flyer from the USDA about the importance of refrigeration! "A refrigerator is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the kitchen for keeping foods safe. These electric units are so commonplace today, we forget a refrigerator was once little more than a box with a block of ice used to supply a rather undependable source of cold air. But we are instantly reminded of its importance to our daily lives when the power goes off or the unit fails, putting our food’s safety in jeopardy."
Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill
Children are at high risk of contracting foodborne illness because their immune systems are still developing. In fact, children under the age of five have the highest incidence of Campylobacter, E. coli, and Salmonella infection among any other age group in the United States. This highlights the importance of following the USDA’s four food safety steps whenever preparing meals: CLEAN, SEPARATE, COOK and CHILL.
History of Food Safety in the USA
A comprehensive article (in three parts), written by Michelle Jarvie, details the development of food safety in the U.S.:
History of Food Safety in the USA, Part One - An examination of the history of food illness from Alexander the Great’s potentially cause of death to outbreak’s of food illness in 2013-2014.
History of Food Safety in the USA, Part Two - A review of food policy and legislation over time.
History of Food Safety in the USA, Part Three - Why media reports of food safety issues is more prevalent today and why we need to pay attention to this reports.
Chicken Inspection Facts - Maintained by the National Chicken Council, this website will tell you more about food safety and inspection measures maintained by the poultry industry.
The Egg Safety Cycle - The egg safety cycle consists of four steps: Inspect, Clean, Test, and Time. The American Egg Board has great videos for each of the four steps.
FOOD SAFETY IN THE NEWS
Food Safety Tips for Cinco de Mayo Celebrations (Food Safety News, May 4, 2021) - Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico and the United States in commemoration of the Mexican Army’s victory in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. The holiday is also a way people celebrate their Mexican heritage and share it with other groups.
As with any celebration, food becomes an integral part of the festivities. In the excitement of the holiday, food safety can easily be forgotten. And warm and humid weather combined with outdoor activities, provide the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to multiply on food and result in food poisoning instead of happy memories of the day. Foodborne illnesses can be prevented by properly handling food at home or outdoors. By clicking on the title of the article you can read up on tips for keeping your Cinco de Mayo celebration food poisoning free.