Susan Conley (202) 720-7943
Steven Cohen (202) 720-9113

Spring Is Time For Sprucing Up Food Safety Habits

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2003--As springtime celebrations approach, take a fresh look at your food safety habits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline has plenty of tips to keep your celebrations safe from foodborne hazards.

No matter what type of food your springtime celebrations include, be sure you follow the four basic food safety principles:

• Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate – Don’t allow cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods.
• Cook – Cook food to the safe internal temperature. Check temperature with a food thermometer.
• Chill – Refrigerate or freeze promptly.

Eggs are a favorite springtime food, whether used for dyeing and hunting or included in favorite egg dishes or desserts. It’s important to remember that raw eggs are perishable just like raw meat and poultry products. Always choose clean, refrigerated and uncracked eggs, and don’t leave them unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Cook eggs until yolks are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 ºF.

Ham and lamb, favorites for religious and springtime celebrations, can be purchased ready-to-cook. The packaging will feature phrases such as “ready-to-cook” or “not pre-cooked.” Follow the manufacturer’s cooking instructions, which most often appear on the back of the package and use terms such as “cook,” “bake” or “roast.” Ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 ºF; for lamb at least 145º F. Cook ground beef to 160 °F, beef roasts to 145 °F, and poultry to 180 °F (170 °F for breast meat). Use a food thermometer to measure these temperatures.

Ready-to-eat foods can be real time-savers for your spring celebration. ‘Ready-to-Eat’ or ‘Fully Cooked’ means the foods have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria and that no further cooking is required.

Ready-to-eat hams, barbecued ribs, beef roasts and roasted or fried chicken can simply be removed from the package and served. If you decide to reheat these fully cooked foods then follow the directions on the packaging. Reheat ready-to-eat hams to 140 ºF and barbecued ribs, beef roasts and roasted or fried chicken to 165 °F. If you or someone you are preparing food for is in an at-risk group (very young, seniors, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women), be sure that the foods are reheated to the temperatures listed above.

Springtime celebrations are just like any other – they result in leftovers. When the party is over, food should be refrigerated in shallow containers for rapid cooling (food poisoning bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures above 40 °F). Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but after that, they could begin to spoil. If you want to reheat leftovers, then heat them to 165 °F, or until hot and steaming.

Consumers should use a food thermometer to make sure food is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food. A food thermometer should also be used to check the internal temperature of combination dishes, casseroles and reheated foods.

Just as April showers lead to May flowers, remember: Sprucing up your food safety practices in the spring leads to safe food practices throughout the year.

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For more information in English and Spanish, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854); TTY: 1-800-256-7072. The Hotline’s hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Time, year-round. An extensive selection of timely food safety messages is also available at the same number 24 hours a day. Information can also be accessed on the FSIS Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov. E-mail inquiries may be directed to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460

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