b'Life with MSAAvvooiiddiinnggFFooooddWWaasstteeTemperature, storage, and produce considerations play a part in grocery use By Zoe EdwardsOne of the most common excuses for notYersinia, and other bacteria, which could be buying fresh foods is, I dont want the food toharmfuliftheingredientsarenthandled go to waste if I dont eat it in time. Particularlyproperly. Contrary to what was thought to be with the high cost of groceries right now, itshelpful in the past, you should not wash raw a totally understandable factor. Knowledge ofpoultry or meat before cooking. It doesnt how to properly store food, as well as theprevent illness, rather it increases the risk of amount of time that its safe to consume it,spreading bacteria to other foods, utensils, will help eliminate the barrier of anticipatedand surfaces. Cooking meat thoroughly to waste and save us time and energy. It will165 F will kill any bacteria, so a trustworthy also save you money, as eating at home iscooking thermometer is recommended. Did less expensive than going out.you make extra for leftovers? Refrigerate your leftovers at 40 F or colder within two hours of TeemmppeerraattuurreeT preparation. If you have made a large roast, Anextremelyimportantfactorinfoodwhole turkey, or other large cut of meat, divide safety and storage is temperature. Bacteriait into smaller portions for refrigeration. The grow most rapidly between 40 F and 140 F.smaller chunks will cool more quickly and In fact, this is often referred to as the Dangerprevent bacteria from growing. SZone, as bacteria can double in number in asSaaffeessttoorraaggeelittle as 20 minutes within that range. MakingOnce food is cooked, different ingredients sure your refrigerator is set to 40 F or below,vary in the length of time they are safe to not leaving perishable food out of refrigerationrefrigerate and consume. Be sure to check for more than two hours, and cooking food toout the FoodSafety.gov resources to make an internal temperature of 165 F or more willsure you are consuming these protein sources, preserve food quality, prevent spoiling, andand other prepared foods, in a safe time period. reduce risk of food poisoning.The cold food storage chart very clearly displays Some food groups are more commonthe time frames in which each ingredient is culpritsoffoodborneillnessandfoodsafe to eat. poisoning than others. Raw and undercookedAlong withthesafetycomponents, meat and poultry may contain campylobacter,appropriate storage can also help with the salmonella, clostridium perfringens, E. coli,longevity of the ingredients youre purchasing, msfocusmagazine.org 18'