Kitchen and Food Safety
In Cuyahoga County the most common food-borne illness is Norovirus. It is highly contagious. The most common symptoms of Norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Regular, thorough hand washing with warm soapy water helps to prevent the spread of this disease and many others. Helpful hints below will guide storage and preparation of foods to prevent food-borne illnesses.
Where should I store food in my refrigerator?
- Keep your raw food at the bottom of your refrigerator and keep separate from ready-to-eat foods.
- Keep your refrigerator at 40 F or colder.
How do I know if my food is completely cooked?
- Use a probe thermometer.
- Cook all poultry, stuffed meat, stuffed fish, and exotic meats to 165° F.
- Cook ground beef, ground pork, and raw egg dishes to 155° F.
- Cook fish and all other foods to 145°F.
What can I do to be sure that the food I serve is safe?
- Keep your refrigerator below 41°F.
- Don’t leave food on the table for more than 4 hours.
- Remember keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
What should I do with leftovers?
- Refrigerate all leftovers immediately.
- Throw out after 5 days in the refrigerator.
Thaw food:
- In the refrigerator
- Under cold running sink water
- As part of the cooking
- In the microwave for right away cooking
Tags: diarrhea, food, nausea, norovirus, pain, refrigerate, safety, stomach, temperatures, vomiting
