IT'S A GRAB AND GO WORLD 

This month is National Food Safety Education Month and the goals are "to reinforce food safety education and training among restaurant and food service workers" and "to educate the public to handle and prepare food properly at home, where food safety is equally important -- whether cooking from scratch or serving take-out meals and restaurant leftovers," said ( your name, title and place of employment here). 

. Do it at a drive-through restaurant.

. Catch it at a cafeteria.

. Grab it in a grocery store.   

Mealtime is "grab and go" for many people.  Take-out food is taking over.  According to ( put your name here), wherever you may obtain your take-out food, certain food safety tips should always apply:   

TIP 1: MORE THAN TWO IS BAD FOR YOU 

Two hours is the maximum time perishable foods should be kept at room temperature. When not kept under control, bacteria can grow rapidly. If you're serving food in temperatures over 90 F, such as a picnic, limit the time in which food sits out to one hour or less. Just ONE bacterium, doubling every 20 minutes, could grow to 64 bacteria in two hours and 2,097,152 bacteria in seven hours!

Don't hesitate, refrigerate . . . at 40 F or colder . . . if you won't be eating your take-out meal within two hours. 

DID YOU KNOW? Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, pasta, rice and cooked vegetables. Also, refrigerate fresh, peeled and/or cut fruits and vegetables within a couple of hours.  

TIP 2: HERE'S THE RULE, GET IT COOL 

Refrigerate hot take-out foods right away if you won't be eating them within two hours - let the refrigerator cool them down. Leave the covers of containers cracked open to help food cool faster. Cover tightly once the food is cooled.

For large quantities, divide food into loosely covered shallow containers before refrigerating; cover tightly when cool. Food cools more rapidly in shallow containers, limiting the growth of bacteria. 

If you leave your pizza and other perishable foods at room temperature for more than a couple of hours, TOSS them out. Some types of bacteria can form a heat-resistant toxin that cooking can't destroy.   

TIP 3: AVOID DELAY, EAT IN A DAY         

Plan to eat take-out foods and leftovers within a day for greater safety and quality. 

TIP 4: DON'T MISS A BEAT, SAFELY REHEAT  

Don't reheat take-out food in its original container in the microwave, unless the container is described as safe for microwave use. Chemicals from carryout containers can be absorbed into foods at high temperatures. Safe containers for microwave cooking include glass and glass ceramic cookware, and those labeled for microwave use.  

                                                  

DID YOU KNOW? To heat thoroughly in your microwave:  

. COVER the microwave container with a lid or plastic wrap turned back at

one corner. The plastic wrap shouldn't touch the food. This prevents the possible absorption of chemicals from the plastic wrap at high temperatures. Trapped steam helps destroy bacteria and ensure uniform cooking.

. STIR AND/OR ROTATE food midway and as needed during microwaving. 

. REHEAT foods until they reach 165 F and are steaming throughout.   

TIP 5: WHEN IN DOUBT, TOSS IT OUT 

You can't always see, smell or taste bacteria that cause food-borne illness. It takes from 1/2 hour to two or more weeks before you get sick from contaminated food.  Sometimes it's hard to know if food has been handled safely. If you don't know, give food the heave ho! 

If you'd like more information, contact your local Health Department at ( put you phone number and name here).