August 24, 2017

Five Food Safety Myths – Debunked During National Food Safety Month

Contact:
Jennifer S. Sexton
Jennifer.Sexton@flhealth.gov
941-624-7200 extension 7279

Port Charlotte, Fla. – September marks National Food Safety Month, and the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County encourages residents and food service employees to brush up on their food safety knowledge to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses in the community.  

“While you may not wear the title ‘chef’ on the job, the same food safety tips that apply to a restaurant kitchen also apply to your home kitchen,” said Dr. Frank Louis Lepore, Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County.  “It is important to know what is fact and what is myth when it comes to food safety.”

To dispel some common food safety myths, the Department of Health offers this guidance:

Myth #1:  Putting chicken in a colander and rinsing it with water will remove bacteria like Salmonella.

Fact:  Rinsing chicken will not remove bacteria.  In fact, it can spread raw juices around your sink, onto your counter tops, and onto ready-to-eat foods.  Bacteria in raw meat and poultry can only be killed when cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature, which for poultry is 165 °F (held for at least 15 seconds), as measured by a food thermometer.  Save yourself the messiness of rinsing raw poultry.  It is not a safety step and can cause cross-contamination!  Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your food.

Myth #2:  It’s OK to thaw meat on the counter.  Since it starts out frozen, bacteria isn’t really a problem.

Fact:  Bacteria grow surprisingly fast at room temperatures, so the counter is never a place you should thaw foods.  Instead, thaw foods in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in cold water (change water every 30 minutes and cook the food immediately).  If you don’t have enough time to thaw food, it is safe to cook foods from a frozen state.

Myth #3:  I don’t need to wash fruits or vegetables if I’m going to peel them.

Fact:  It is easy to transfer bacteria from the peel or rind you’re cutting to the inside of fruits and vegetables, making it important to wash all produce, even if you plan to peel it.

Myth #4:  Once a hamburger turns brown in the middle, it is cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Fact:  You cannot use visual cues to determine whether food has been cooked to a safe internal temperature.  The only way to know that food has been cooked to a safe internal temperature is to use a food thermometer.  Ground meat should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 155 °F (held for at least 15 seconds).

Myth #5:  Leftovers are safe to eat if they look and smell okay.

Fact:  The types of bacteria that cause illness don't affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food.  Therefore, it is important to freeze or toss refrigerated leftovers within 3-4 days.  If you are unsure of how long your leftovers have been sitting in the refrigerator, don’t take the risk – when in doubt, throw it out!

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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