e 8 SW Cooking For Groups: How To Keep FoodSafe (NPS)—Whether preparing food for a family reunion or a community gathering, people who are great cooks at home don’t necessarily know how to safely prepare and store large quantities of food for large groups. Food that is mishandled can cause foodborneillness. However, by following some simple steps, volunteer cooks can make the event safe and successful! 1. Plan head—Make sure the location meets your needs. * Be sure you have enough oven, stovetop, refrigerator, freezer, and workspace. Find outif there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation andcleaning. 2. Store and Prepare Food Safely. Refrigerate or freeze perishable food within 2 hours of shop- ping or preparing. Find separate preparation areas in the work space for raw and cooked food. Never place cooked food back on the sameplate or cutting board that held raw food. Wash hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and work surfaces frequently with hot, soapy water. 3. Cook Food to Safe Internal Temperatures—It’s the only wayto tell if harmful bacteria are destroyed! Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, egg dishes, casseroles, and otherfood. Check temperature in several places to be sure food is safely cooked. Never partially cook food for finishing later because you increase the risk of bacterial growth. 4, Transport Food Safely— Keep hot food HOT. Keep cold food COLD. * Keep cold food at or below 40F. Place in a cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. * Keep hot food at or above 140F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container. 5. Need to Reheat?—Food must be hot and steamy for serving. Just “warmed up”is not good enough. * Use the stove, oven, or microwave to reheat food to 165F. Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. 6. Keep Food Out of the “Danger Zone”(40F-140F). * Keep hot food hot—at or above 140F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers. * Keep cold food cold—at or below 40F. Place food in containers on ice. 7. When In Doubt, Throw It Out! Discard food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Place leftovers in shallow containers. Refrigerate or freeze immediately. For a copy of Cooking for Groups: Volunteer’s Guide to Food Safety, write: FCIC, Item #604H, Pueblo, CO 81009. For more food safety information, call the USD Meat and Poul- try Hotline at 1-800-535-4555; for the hearing impaired 1-800-2567072 (TTY); www.fsis.usda.gov.
