Safe handling basics
From the grocery store to your table, here are some simple precautions to keep food safe.
Safe storage after shopping
Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).
Store raw meat, poultry and fish away from other foods. Securely wrap and place it in the meat drawer or coldest section of your refrigerator.
Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
Generally, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years. Keep cans cool, clean, and dry and discard any that are dented, leaking, bulging or rusted.
Safe preparation
Wash your hands
Remember always to use warm water and soap before and after handling food — and wash for at least 10 to 15 seconds.
Prevent cross-contamination
After cutting raw meats, poultry or fish, wash the cutting board, utensils and countertops with hot, soapy water.
Thaw properly
- Refrigerator: The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing meat and poultry juices do not drip onto other food.
- Cold water: For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing.
- Microwave: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.
Safe cooking
Insert a thermometer into the thickest part:
- 145 °F: Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops
- 160 °F: All cuts of pork
- 160 °F: Ground beef, veal and lamb
- 165 °F: All poultry
- Cook eggs until firm, fish until it flakes easily with a fork, and shellfish until it is opaque.
Safe cooling
The biggest cause of foodborne illness is not cooling foods quickly enough.
To cool large pots of food, close the drain in your sink, put the pot of food in the sink, fill the sink with ice up to the level of the food in the pot, and add cold water to the ice. Stir the food often. When cool, refrigerate.
For large pieces of meat or poultry, cut into pieces 4 inches thick or less. Separate on a tray and refrigerate.
Safe serving
Never leave food out for more than 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).
When serving buffet food, keep hot food over a heat source and keep cold food on ice.
Keep platters of food refrigerated until time to serve or heat them.
Cold storage chart
| Product | Refrigerator (40°F or below) |
Freezer (0°F or below) |
|---|---|---|
| Source: Kitchen Companion. Your safe food handbook (PDF), USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. | ||
| EGGS — See Safe handling of dairy, cheese and eggs | ||
| SALADS | ||
| Egg, chicken, ham, tuna & macaroni salads | 3 to 5 days | Does not freeze well |
| HOT DOGS | ||
| opened package | 1 week | 1 to 2 months |
| unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| LUNCHEON MEAT | ||
| open packaged or deli sliced | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| unopened package | 2 weeks | 1 to 2 months |
| BACON & SAUSAGE | ||
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Sausage, raw — from chicken, turkey, pork, beef | 1 to 2 days | 1 to 2 months |
| HAMBURGER & OTHER GROUND MEATS | ||
| Hamburger, ground beef, turkey, veal, pork, lamb & mixtures of them | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| FRESH BEEF, VEAL, LAMB AND PORK | ||
| Steaks | 3 to 5 days | 6 to 12 months |
| Chops | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 6 months |
| Roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| FRESH POULTRY | ||
| Chicken or turkey, whole | 1 to 2 days | 1 year |
| Chicken or turkey, pieces | 1 to 2 days | 9 months |
| SOUPS & STEWS | ||
| Vegetable or meat added | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| LEFTOVERS | ||
| Cooked meat or poultry | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Chicken nuggets or patties | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 3 months |
| pizza | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |