Friday Food Safety Mythbusters #1
Food safety quiz…. test your knowledge!
If refrigerated leftovers don’t have a bad smell …
a. They still may not be OK to eat because many harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness don’t make food smell.
b. The leftovers are OK to eat, cold or hot.
c. The leftovers are OK to eat as long as you heat them to an internal temperature of 165° F as checked with a food thermometer.
d. The leftovers are OK to eat as long as you have a strong stomach.
Food Safety MYTH- Leftovers are safe to eat until they smell bad.
Food Safety FACT- Most people would not choose to eat spoiled, smelly food. However, if they did, they would not necessarily get sick. This is because there are different types of bacteria, some of which cause illness in people and others that don’t. The types of bacteria that do cause illness do not affect the taste, smell or appearance of food. For this reason 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!
The correct answer to the quiz was A. Did you get it right? For more information about home food handling for September Food Safety Month, check out the fightbac.org website from the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Watch for more food safety myths and facts next Friday!
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
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