Store it. Don’t Ignore it.

September is National Food Safety Month. It is the perfect time to remember how important safe food handling is to your health, and that of your families. Thousands of individuals get sick, become hospitalized, and some even die due to poor food handling practices. A few easy steps are all it takes to ensure safe food for everyone.

The first thing you should do is to prevent cross-contamination when storing foods in your refrigerator. Store foods/leftovers in proper containers so raw meat juices do not drip on foods that need no more preparation. Store raw meats on the bottom shelf, and leftovers on the top shelf. Cover food with tight-fitting plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Keep your food out of the temperature danger zone. Bacteria grow the fastest between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit—but still grow slowly in your refrigerator. Your refrigerator should be set at 40° degree Fahrenheit or below. Store meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products in the back of the refrigerator—where it is the coldest. Keep your eggs out of the door. Do not overload your refrigerator. Air needs to circulate to keep things cool.

It is a great idea to label food items when you open a container, or store a leftover. Salad dressing, ketchup, mustards, etc. will not last forever, and you might be amazed how long you have had something in your refrigerator. Follow the expiration dates on your food containers. Eggs will last up to three weeks after their expiration date if stored in the coldest part of your fridge. Leftovers need to be discarded after three or four days.

Finally, keep your refrigerator clean. This will keep bacteria from growing on your shelves. Bacteria love warm, moist places, but do grow slowly in your fridge. These few simple steps will go a long way in keeping you and your family safe from food borne illness.

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