Vickie Vaclavik, PHD, RD/LD
Section Editor, Food Safety
Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Nutrition; UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Posted: Fall 2004

You might agree that principles from the topic of food safety are of tremendous use when applied in the home. The intent of this short article is to highlight a few important food safety principles to follow. Then, guess what? YOU can conduct your OWN kitchen inspection at your OWN home! Perhaps you may already be doing everything right. However, you want to know (and do) what leads to food safety! In subsequent articles you'll see more of bacteria names being discussed. We also hope to look at more regarding food safety issues outside the home - food safety concerns in locations such as your favorite restaurant! When asked "What are you making for dinner?" some would say "Reservations!" They eat out a lot!

For now, as the holidays and increased entertainment occur, we agree that one thing you do NOT want to serve up to family and friends is foodborne Illness (fbi). By definition foodborne illness is any disease carried by food. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fever. The food contamination is primarily due to time and temperature (TT) abuse, or mishandling food - using unsanitary hands or food contact surfaces.

For foodborne illness prevention, abide by these rules:

Time and temperature (TT) control

• Keep all food at 41 degrees F, or below (COLD), or 140 degrees F or higher (HOT). Temperatures in between cold or hot, are in the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ), and the TDZ is not acceptable for holding for more than a few hours. Microorganism growth is too very likely after four hours of accumulated time in the TDZ.

Good hygiene

• Wash hands OFTEN, and use a clean, or disposable towel for drying.

Avoid Cross-contamination

• Avoid the transfer of germs from one place to another by way of equipment or food.