Food Safety Minute

Parent Food Safety Survey

Eastern Food Safety

Date: March 24, 2010
Where: Presented at the 2010 Food Safety Education Conference,
hosted by USDA and NSF- Atlanta, GA

SUMMARY

Much emphasis exists on training food service industry in health and food safety practices, but this is not so true for the public. “Home economics” classes are being cut across the country, with the result being that many young people are not picking up important lifeskills in school (cooking, nutrition, safe food handling) and with so many working parents, these skills are not being passed on within the family unit either, to great extent. As increasing numbers of people are too busy to cook (many never learned how), and 46% of American food dollars are spent outside the home, and eating out and take-out foods are the way of life. Rather than collecting cookbooks, people are collecting take-out menus, purchasing expensive designer boxes and packages for storing such menue.

Though a great deal of information exists from the USDA, universities and other sources on nutrition and food safety, it is not reaching the public to some degree, and there is a large knowledge gap in these areas. Some by-products of this are rising rates of obesity and diabetes, poor eating habits, and lack of knowledge about preparing foods safely, health, and nutrition.

To learn more about the seriousness of the situation, Eastern Food Safety conducted a survey of parents of elementary school children in Massachusetts, Boston and suburbs, to test their knowledge about health and food safety practices, and their practices at home. This study was presented at the 2010 Food Safety Education Conference, hosted by USDA and NSF in Atlanta this past March, where Green Apple Tales were officially introduced to the attendees. Food safety educators from government agencies, private industry, and universities joined forces through workshops and presentations to discuss ways to help educate consumers on issues of health, allergens, and safe food practices.

Results
In this study, we received responses from 398 individuals—they had an average of 2.5 children per family (55% had children under 6 yrs. old), average age was 39 years old, and were evenly distributed by educational level.

And though the parents do care about keeping their families safe, as they indicated in our survey, they are clearly not understanding principles of what makes foods risky. They are also unclear what are the rules they must use to keep bacteria from growing in foods and prevent illness.

When asked questions about how long a turkey sandwich can be kept out at room temperature and still be safe to eat, only a small number knew that 2 hours was the limit, according to USDA guidelines. And though most knew that the internal cooking temperature for hamburgers was 160oF, and that refrigerated foods should be used within 4 or 5 days, they had trouble identifying the riskiest foods when given a list. Mayonnaise and tomato juice (both acidic and too difficult for any bacteria to grow) were selected as more dangerous foods than cooked rice and cooked chicken (harmful bacteria in both cooked rice and chicken could grow and cause illness if we don’t handle these foods properly).

Most parents said that they do wash their hands before they handle food, but less than half use a food thermometer when cooking meats, and most were not sure of the proper ways to cool hot foods.

Parents do care and are concerned for their families’ health and safety. Educational tools, like Green Apple Tales (children’s books with food safety messages) though simple, can be so powerful and deliver important lessons and fill the information gaps to both parents and children at the same time.

If parents have the guidelines to do the right thing (specific dos and don’ts and the scientific reasons why), they will follow them to keep their families safe. Lifeskills, such as handwashing, using a food thermometer, and putting foods away promptly, can be introduced to children early and stay with them lifelong. And these good habits can be passed on to future generations and keep them safe.

Cindy Rice RS, MSPH, CPFS (Author: Green Apple Tales)
President
Eastern Food Safety
Braintree, MA
www.easternfoodsafety.com info@easternfoodsafety.com

Green Apple Tales Keeping families safe…one story at a time
info@greenappletales.com www.greenappletales.com

Cindy Rice, RS, MSPH
Eastern Food Safety (author of Green Apple Tales)

Date: March 24, 2010
Where: Presented at the 2010 Food Safety Education Conference,
hosted by USDA and NSF- Atlanta, GA

Summary

Much emphasis exists on training food service industry in health and food safety practices, but this is not so true for the public. “Home economics” classes are being cut across the country, with the result being that many young people are not picking up important lifeskills in school (cooking, nutrition, safe food handling) and with so many working parents, these skills are not being passed on within the family unit either, to great extent. As increasing numbers of people are too busy to cook (many never learned how), and 46% of American food dollars are spent outside the home, and eating out and take-out foods are the way of life. Rather than collecting cookbooks, people are collecting take-out menus, purchasing expensive designer boxes and packages for storing such menue.

Though a great deal of information exists from the USDA, universities and other sources on nutrition and food safety, it is not reaching the public to some degree, and there is a large knowledge gap in these areas. Some by-products of this are rising rates of obesity and diabetes, poor eating habits, and lack of knowledge about preparing foods safely, health, and nutrition.

To learn more about the seriousness of the situation, Eastern Food Safety conducted a survey of parents of elementary school children in Massachusetts, Boston and suburbs, to test their knowledge about health and food safety practices, and their practices at home. This study was presented at the 2010 Food Safety Education Conference, hosted by USDA and NSF in Atlanta this past March, where Green Apple Tales were officially introduced to the attendees. Food safety educators from government agencies, private industry, and universities joined forces through workshops and presentations to discuss ways to help educate consumers on issues of health, allergens, and safe food practices.

Results
In this study, we received responses from 398 individuals—they had an average of 2.5 children per family (55% had children under 6 yrs. old), average age was 39 years old, and were evenly distributed by educational level.

And though the parents do care about keeping their families safe, as they indicated in our survey, they are clearly not understanding principles of what makes foods risky. They are also unclear what are the rules they must use to keep bacteria from growing in foods and prevent illness.

When asked questions about how long a turkey sandwich can be kept out at room temperature and still be safe to eat, only a small number knew that 2 hours was the limit, according to USDA guidelines. And though most knew that the internal cooking temperature for hamburgers was 160oF, and that refrigerated foods should be used within 4 or 5 days, they had trouble identifying the riskiest foods when given a list. Mayonnaise and tomato juice (both acidic and too difficult for any bacteria to grow) were selected as more dangerous foods than cooked rice and cooked chicken (harmful bacteria in both cooked rice and chicken could grow and cause illness if we don’t handle these foods properly).

Most parents said that they do wash their hands before they handle food, but less than half use a food thermometer when cooking meats, and most were not sure of the proper ways to cool hot foods.

Parents do care and are concerned for their families’ health and safety. Educational tools, like Green Apple Tales (children’s books with food safety messages) though simple, can be so powerful and deliver important lessons and fill the information gaps to both parents and children at the same time.

If parents have the guidelines to do the right thing (specific dos and don’ts and the scientific reasons why), they will follow them to keep their families safe. Lifeskills, such as handwashing, using a food thermometer, and putting foods away promptly, can be introduced to children early and stay with them lifelong. And these good habits can be passed on to future generations and keep them safe.

Cindy Rice-Andrea, RS, MSPH (Author: Green Apple Tales)
President
Eastern Food Safety
Braintree, MA
www.easternfoodsafety.com info@easternfoodsafety.com

Green Apple Tales Keeping families safe…one story at a time
info@greenappletales.com www.greenappletales.com

The Boston Public Schools were in the news recently because of expired frozen products found on some kitchen shelves and this has brought up a most confusing issue… “Use by,” “Best if used- by,”"Sell by,”" Expiration dates.” Let’s look at the different date-marking terms used on packages, and what they tell us about the quality and safety of the foods inside.
• Use-by date (or discard date) refers to the date that foods can be safely used by, and is often the date stamped onto refrigerated meats, poultry, prepared foods by supermarkets and stores. After this date, the bacteria that normally live in foods have probably grown to high levels and the food is not safe to eat, even if it has been in the refrigerator.

• Best if used by date is not really the “drop dead” date for food safety, but foods should be consumed before this date for the best product quality-e.g., taste, texture, color. This is often the date seen on dry packaged foods and canned goods. Foods that have passed this date are generally safe to eat, even if they may taste a little stale or have reduced quality.

• Sell by date is often used for dairy products and fresh meats, and is the date by which the products should be sold by stores for safety as well as quality reasons. Products are usually “good” for 3 or 4 days past this “sell-by date.” The “spoilage bacteria” in milk, meats and other products make them discolor, smell or taste bad over time, and these indicators tell us it’s time to discard the product, for quality and safety reasons.

What about frozen foods? Freezing suspends bacterial growth, so expiration dates are generally not applicable, except for quality reasons. Understanding dates marked on products can help you sell and consume foods at their peak of freshness and safety. Eat well and be healthy!

So holidays are here again and that age-old question about what you do about stuffing your turkey… How many of us are still unsure about how to safely stuff a turkey? We have outsiders giving us conflicting advice on how to do it: “Whatever you do, don’t stuff it before you cook it!” “It’s okay to stuff the turkey, as long as the turkey is cold.” ” It’s okay as long as the stuffing is the same temperature as the turkey.” “Cook it separately and put it back in the turkey before you serve it.” WHEW! I’m exhausted just thinking about the possibilities!

What we worry about in the stuffing process is the bacteria in the turkey coming in contact with the warm stuffing. This bacteria could then grow to high levels as the turkey sits waiting to be cooked, which could make someone sick.
It is safe to stuff your turkey and eat it too, as long as you follow these rules:
1) Prepare your stuffing and cool it down completely. Stuff the (cold) turkey with the cold stuffing and refrigerate until you are ready to roast. (Hint: To cool the hot stuffing, spread it in a thin layer in a pan, or separate it into smaller segments so it will cool down faster. When it reaches room temperature, 70° F, you can put it in the refrigerator to cool the rest of the way.)
2) Do NOT put hot stuffing into a raw turkey. The warm stuffing could allow the turkey bacteria to grow inside the cavity, and make someone sick.
3) It is safe to cook stuffing and turkey separately, and stuff the hot stuffing into the cooked turkey after it is completely cooked, just before serving.
4) Internal temperature of the turkey should reach at least 165° F, measured in the thickest part of the breast and the thigh and the STUFFING with a food thermometer, to be sure that bacteria have been killed to safe levels.
5) Remove stuffing from turkey completely after serving.
After the meal
Be sure to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of eating, so bacteria don’t multiply as cooked foods sit out at room temperature. Some bacteria will survive the cooking process.

So Stuff that turkey safely, cook it to the right temperature and enjoy the holidays!

Cindy

Starting October 1, restaurants across Massachusetts will be paying more attention to customers with food allergies…. They’ll be posting signs in their kitchen on handling allergens safely for allergic individuals, and what to do in case of an allergice reaction; also, posting notices on their menu for customers to notify their server if they have a food allergy. And in February 2011, restaurant staff will be further trained on allergen safety by watching a training video and demonstrating knowledge. For all of you that have allergies or a loved one with a food allergy or intolerance, this a great act, and other states will certainly be watching to see how our restaurants do! It should give customers more peace of mind and confidence when they eat out that their foods are being handled with care and that the restaurants are protecting them and their families.

In September parents all across the country seem to breathe a sigh of relief
as children go back to school, older children head off to college, and the
familiar routines of the school year begin again. We want to protect foods
as much as possible as we’re shopping, preparing and serving meals and
snacks to our families. But how safe is your child’s school lunch that you
packed from home? Young children have weakened immune systems and are at
highest risk from getting sick from bacteria in foods. Even foods like
deli meats, tuna, cooked turkey, and cut fruits contain live bacteria. And
recent research at the University of Texas shows that only 25% of school
lunch sacks are packed safely, kept cold and nutritious. So, in keeping
with National Food Safety Month and the coming of the new school year, here
are some simple tips to keep packed lunches safe and healthy:

• Make sandwiches the night before and freeze. Bread and fillings
  will easily defrost the next day while the lunch safely sits out at room
  temperature until lunchtime.
• Use a small ice pack or thermal lunch sack with insulated interior
  to help keep lunch cold until lunchtime.
• Insulated drink container can be used to keep cold foods cold OR
  hot foods hot, once they have been heated properly. Safe at any temperature: Peanut or soy butter sandwiches, celery sticks, baby carrots, crackers, nuts, chips, cookies, whole pieces of fruit,
  store-bought snack packs of pudding or fruit salad
• Field trips and outdoor events are especially risky situations.
  Take special care to keep your child’s lunch cold in case there are no
  coolers available to store until lunchtime.
• College kids bringing foods back to school from home? Transport
  them in an insulated cooler for long rides back and remind them to
  refrigerate foods as soon as they get to school.

Enjoy your fall!