S a f e t y T o o l b o x T o p i c s

September has been designated as Food Safety Education Month so this week we’ll look at food safety.

The four easy lessons of Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill can protect you and your family. Today we’ll look at cook –

• Use a food thermometer – you can’t tell food is cooked safely by how it looks.
• Stir, rotate the dish, and cover food when microwaving to prevent cold spots where bacteria can survive.
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.

Even for experienced cooks, the improper heating and preparation of food means bacteria can survive. Visit befoodsafe.gov for more information on the safe internal temperatures for cooking foods. The four easy lessons of Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill can help prevent harmful bacteria from making your family sick.