Food Safety

While shopping at the grocery store, I noticed that the bags in the meat department had some blue writing on them.  Naturally being curious, I walked over and pulled the roll down a bit to see what was written on the bag.  Printed were some very helpful reminders about food safety regarding raw meat.

Safety Tips

• Be Clean, Be Health - It is always wise to wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
• Keep it Cold, Keep it Hot - The danger zone for bacteria to start growing quickly is above 41°F.  Likewise, under cooked meat (below 140°F) is also just as dangerous.
• Don't Cross Contaminate - Cross contamination occurs when you introduce other foods to the same prep area as the meat before cleaning the area.  Cutting some fresh cucumbers for a relish tray on the same, unwashed cutting board as the pork roast you just sliced is a recipe for food poisoning.
• Cook it & Chill it - Raw meat does not have an absolute experation date.  To be safe, purchase meat that you plan on eating within two days.  Either cook it on the day that you purchased it, or keep it refrigerated or frozen.

Minimum Temperatures

• 145°F - Whole Meat Cuts (Steaks, Roasts, or Chops) Allow to rest for at least 3 minutes after cooking.
• 160°F - Ground Meats (Beef, Pork, Lamb, or Veal)
• 165°F - ALL Poultry (Ground, Parts, Whole Cuts)