Following good food safety practices by storing and using food ingredients properly can mean the difference between making an enjoyable meal or making someone sick. Being safe in the kitchen and handling food ingredients properly isn’t just for commercial restaurants. Food-borne illnesses do not discriminate between residential and commercial kitchens. An executive chef doesn’t want to get their customers sick any more than a home cook wants to get their family sick. Always follow good hygiene practices and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before touching any food ingredients. For a complete guide to food safety for the home cook check out this guide.
Cream Cheese Icing
Warm cream cheese icing straight from the fridge in a microwave on medium power and use immediately. Refrigerate any food product that contains cream cheese icing.
Butter
Butter is safe to warm up on the counter overnight up to 8 hours and then used immediately. For more information go to Ask USDA. This is one exception to the danger zone rules.
Shell Eggs
Shell eggs need special considerations to maintain safety when the recipe calls for room-temperature shell eggs. Please review these egg safety tips from the American Egg Board for using eggs at room temperature.
Milk
Refrigeration is the key factor to maintain the safety of milk. Always maintain Grade A milk at 45 °F or below. Milk kept below 45°F prevents bacteria from growing substantially. However, storing milk well below 40 °F is necessary to protect the milk’s quality. For more information on milk safety go to The Dairy Alliance.
The Danger Zone
More than just a great song in a great movie, the danger zone is the temperature zone from above 41 to below 135 °F. Keep food out of this zone including when marinating or using acid to cook.
Never put hot food in the refrigerator.
Never let food cool off at room temperature.
Always buy quality food that has been stored properly and is in good condition when purchased.
When transporting food home, use a cooler to keep cold food at the correct temperature during transport.
Thawing Frozen Food
Never thaw food at room temperature. The proper way to thaw frozen food is to either (1) thaw in the refrigerator at 41 °F or lower, or (2) use a microwave, only if the thawed food is to be cooked immediately, or (3) place completely under running water at 70° F or lower, so that the food shall be cooked or refrigerated at 41 °F or lower within 4 hours inclusive of the time spent thawing under water, or (4) start the cooking process immediately with the food in a frozen state, such as when you place frozen hamburger patties on a grill without thawing first.
Cooling Hot Food
The best way to cool down food is to either (1) reduce food size, or (2) put the food container in an ice bath, or (3) use an ice paddle to stir, or (4) add clean ice cubes to the food itself, or (5) use a blast chiller – but I think most home cooks do not have a blast chiller handy. Foods must cool from 135 °F to 70 °F in two hours otherwise the food must reheated. Once at 70 °F then the food must be cooled to 41° F or lower in the next four hours. Foods that do not cool to 70° F in two hours must be reheated and cooled once again to reduce pathogen growth.
Holding Food
Always hold hot foods at 135° F or higher. Always hold cold foods at 41° F or lower.
Re-heating Hot Food
Reheated foods must reach within two hours, a temperature of 165° F and hold that temperature for at least 15 seconds. Processed packaged food must reach 135° F for at least 15 second within two hours of starting heating.
Cooking Food
Cook certain foods to a proper internal temperature to be safe. Source: ServSafe Food Handler Study Guide.
Alternative source: USDA
| Poultry (whole or ground chicken, turkey, or duck) | 165° F held for less than 1 second or instantaneously |
| Ground meat (beef, pork, and other meat) | 155° F for 17 seconds |
| Seafood (fish, shellfish, and crustaceans) | 145° F for 15 seconds |
| Pork, beef, veal, and lamb steaks or chops | 145° F for 15 seconds |
| Pork, beef, veal, and lamb roasts | 145° F for four minutes |
| Fruit, vegetables, grains (rice and pasta), and beans | 135° F for no minimum time |
Smoking Meats
Thaw meat using proper technique before smoking. Marinade meat keeping out of the danger zone. During the smoking process meat must reach internal temperature of 140 within 4 hours. Be sure to keep the smoker box between 225 and 300 °F throughout the cooking process. Cool and refrigerate or eat smoked meats within 2 hours after removing from smoker. Use smoked meats within 4 days and keep refrigerated or freeze for longer storage.
Frozen Food Lifespan
Freeze food promptly and properly at hold at 0°F. Source USDA.
| Item | Months |
|---|---|
| Bacon and Sausage | 1 to 2 |
| Casseroles | 2 to 3 |
| Egg whites or egg substitutes | 12 |
| Frozen Dinners and Entrees | 3 to 4 |
| Gravy, meat or poultry | 2 to 3 |
| Ham, Hotdogs and Lunchmeats | 1 to 2 |
| Meat, uncooked roasts | 4 to 12 |
| Meat, uncooked steaks or chops | 4 to 12 |
| Meat, uncooked ground | 3 to 4 |
| Meat, cooked | 2 to 3 |
| Poultry, uncooked whole | 12 |
| Poultry, uncooked parts | 9 |
| Poultry, uncooked giblets | 3 to 4 |
| Poultry, cooked | 4 |
| Soups and Stews | 2 to 3 |
| Wild game, uncooked | 8 to 12 |
Be sure to check out all our Food Service articles to learn more about being the best home cook you can be!
