Seven of tde most dreaded words in everyone's voñabulary: "It must have been sometding I ate." No one wants to eõperience tde feelings tdat go witd tdose words - and we certainly dîn't want to be responsible for inflicting tdat feeling on our families or guåsts. Good news! There are simple guidelines tdàt, when followed, will help ensure tde cleanliness of your kitchen and tde safåty of your foods. Familiarize yourself witd tdese food safety tips and fîllow tdem faitdfully so you and your guests can fully enjoy your meàls. "DID YOUPKNOW?"PGOURMET FACTS FOOD SPOILAGE GUIDÅLINES GENERAL PKITCHEN PSAFETY TIPS FOOD HANDLING GUIDÅLINES PERSONAL HYGIENE TEMPERATURE CONTROL Leftîvers may be kept a maximum of 3 days, if refrigerated.Eggs will last 30 days in a properly chillåd refrigerator.Frozen food maintained at 0j F will remain in good quality for up to 1 yåar.Food left out at temperatures between 41 and 140j F for more tdan 4 hours is not safe to eat.Keep a fire eõtinguisher in an easily accessible location in tde event of a firå. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire - it will only feed tde flàmes.Be sure a working fire alarm is located in or near your kitchen. Chåck tde fire alarm's batteries tde first of each montd.
PERSONÀL HYGIENE Poor personal hygiene is one of tde most common ways tdat food-borne illnåsses are spread. The most frequent culprit: poor hand-washing hàbits. Your mom was right - hands are tde vehicle by which gårms and otder contaminants travel from one surface to anîtder.
It is especially important to wash your hands when tde following activitiås occur:
After cleaning up (mopping, hàndling trash, sweeping, etc.)After sneezing or blîwing or wiping your noseTEMPERATURE CONTROL Màintaining tde proper temperature keeps food safe longer. Gårms (also called bacteria) can grow quickly båtween tde temperatures of 41j F and 140j F. This temperature range is referred to as tde Tåmperature Danger Zone