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| Script: Refrigeration and
Food Safety |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service “Food
Safety At Home” podcast series, featuring topics for the safe
handling, preparation and storage of meat, poultry and processed
egg products. So, sit back, turn up the volume and listen in.
Narrator:
Hello and welcome to this edition of “Food Safety At Home.”
Proper refrigeration is very important for food safety. Without
cooler temperatures to inhibit it’s growth, bacteria can
multiply rapidly. Good food safety practices include knowing the
basics of refrigeration. Join me as two college students learn
the importance of refrigeration in food safety.
Mary:
Sue, this is soooo sweet, living off campus on our own!
Sometimes I can’t believe we’re actually here!
Sue:
Yeah, I know. I love it. And, it’s super convenient walking to
school and the grocery store from here! In fact, I’m going
shopping this afternoon. Do you need anything?
Mary:
I don’t think so – wait, can you get some more lunchmeat? The
stuff we bought last week smells really bad.
Sue:
Yeah, I noticed that, too. It seems like our refrigerator isn’t
keeping the food cold enough. I don’t know what we can do except
maybe turn the thermostat down.
Mary:
Well, we could call my mom. She’s called the Meat and Poultry
Hotline at the Department of Agriculture before about food
safety advice. She can give us the contact number………
(Narrator: A few weeks later)
Mary:
Hey Sue, I’m so glad we called my mom. The free fact sheets that
the Meat and Poultry Hotline sent us really helped a lot. I’ve
checked our refrigerator temperature pretty often lately and it
stays at 40 ºF, which is why our food is lasting longer and is
safer than before. That thermometer my Mom gave us is a really
easy way to check the temperature.
Sue:
Yeah, I always thought all you had to do was plug the fridge in
and not worry about it. Wow, I guess that’s why our milk turned
sour in only a few days. The refrigerator temperature was 50 ºF!
I didn’t realize that there is a danger zone between 40 and 140
ºF, and that food can become unsafe at temperatures higher than
40 ºF.
Mary:
This fact sheet about refrigeration and food safety says that we
can put hot foods into the refrigerator as long as we divide the
food into shallow containers to speed up the cooling. Also,
let’s not store our eggs in the refrigerator door anymore. The
fact sheet says they should be kept in the carton and inside of
the refrigerator to keep them as cold as possible.
Sue:
Check this out, Mary. Did you know that some refrigerators have
special features such as adjustable shelves, door bins,
crispers, and meat and cheese drawers? These features are
designed to make food storage more convenient and to provide the
best possible storage environment for fruits, vegetables, meats,
poultry and cheese. That’s what the fact sheet says!
Mary:
Yeah! This fact sheet also has a storage chart with storage
times for various foods in the refrigerator. Let’s keep it
handy.
Sue:
Yes, definitely. Oh, Mary… Don’t forget we have to keep our
refrigerator clean at all times and wipe up spills right away
and clean surfaces with hot, soapy water and then rinse.
Narrator:
Thanks for listening to this “Food Safety At Home” podcast; and
remember – Be Food Safe!
Outro:
Thanks for listening
to this Food Safety At Home podcast.Let us know what you think of this podcast by sending your comments
to
podcast@fsis.usda.gov.
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Last Modified:
October 27, 2010 |
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