10 Action Steps To Keep Foods Safe To Eat

1.  Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods when you shop for, prepare, or store foods.

2.  Wash your hands before you handle foods, Use clean utensils and clean surfaces when you prepare foods.

3.  Rinse raw produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if you will peel the produce, it should still be washed first.

4.  Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.

5.  Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.

6.  Read and follow the instructions on package labels to store and handle foods safely.

7.  Thaw frozen foods in the fridge or in cold water. Use the microwave if you are cooking the food right away.

8.  Cook foods to a safe temperature. See a complete list atfoodsafety.gov/keep/charts/index.html.

9.  Keep hot foods higher than 140ºF. Keep cold foods at 40ºF or lower. Bacteria grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40ºF and 140ºF.

10. Eat cooked foods or refrigerate them within two hours. If the temperature is 90ºF or higher, eat or refrigerate them within one hour – or toss them out.