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USDA urges kitchen confidence

By RYAN JARVI

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — About 48 million Americans suffer from food-borne illnesses, leading to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s part of the reason why the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service division is encouraging home cooks to gain “kitchen confidence” by refreshing their perspectives on food safety.

“Kitchen confidence is simply the confidence in your ability to safely prepare delicious meals for your loved ones and yourself,” a USDA press release states. “Even armed with grandma’s best recipes, the most experienced cooks can unknowingly make food safety mistakes that can make people sick.”

Argyris Magoulas, USDA food safety education staff member, wrote in a recent blog post that most bacteria that cause food poisoning stop growing at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, while temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit kill most microbes.

The temperature range in between is what Magoulas refers to as the “danger zone.”

“The danger zone temperatures are what you want to avoid, a task that can be more challenging as the weather gets warmer,” Magoulas wrote. “Never leave food at room temperature for more than two hours. If outside and the temperature is above 90 degrees, then food should not be left out for more than an hour. Refrigerate leftovers after you’re through eating and use them within four days.”

Resources offering information on food safety can be found at foodsafety.gov, which also has a mobile app called “FoodKeeper.”

The app helps limit food waste by providing storage information on more than 400 food items, including produce, baby food, dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry and seafood, according to the USDA release.

“Protecting families from food-borne illness is one of the Food Safety and Inspection Services’ primary goals,” the release states. “Our food safety specialists on our Meat and Poultry Hotline can personally answer your food safety questions on weekdays year-round.”

The toll-free telephone service, which began July 1, 1985, receives more than 50,000 calls annually, according to the release. Questions on the safe storage, handling and preparation of meat, poultry and egg products can be directed to 1-888MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).

Other information included on foodsafety.gov include roasting charts, storage tips and the most recent food recalls and alerts.

Ryan Jarvi can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 270. His email address is rjarvi@miningjournal.net.

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