Do You Ever Wonder, “Is Mold Okay to Eat?”

For many foods it actually is OK to just cut away the mold and eat the rest, but some molds are dangerous and can be toxic. These molds can cause respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal illness, and some allergies, too. Hard foods that are safe, if you pare away the bad spots, include:

• Carrots
• Firm cheeses
• Pears

As a general rule of thumb, hard foods are harder for mold to penetrate. Softer foods, like soft cheeses, are easier and cutting mold away does not ensure you’ve gotten rid of the mold. So, if you’ve got some grapes and there’s mold on a couple of them, throw the bunch away. Below is a list of foods generally regarded as safe once you’ve cut away the mold:

Mold on hard fruit/veggies: Cut about ½ inch around the mold to get rid of it.

Hard cheese: cut about ½-1 inch around mold, rewrap cheese with new covering

Hard salami/dry cured ham: OK to use, mold adds flavor to the salami, can scrub the mold    off the coating of the ham.

Gorgonzola/Bleu cheese: Cut out the moldy spot.

However, once you’ve cut away the bad part and eaten your fill, make sure to place the food in a new package, not the old package in which it was previously stored. This is because there could be traces of mold left behind that will contaminate the cheese and/or food. You should also clean the entire vegetable bin if you’ve found a piece with mold on it.

Not OK, even if there’s just a bit of mold:

• Brie, Camembert
• Hot dogs
• Bacon
• Casseroles
• Leftovers
• Pasta
• Jams/jellies
• Yogurt/sour cream
• Lunch meat
• Cooked meats
• Soft fruits/ veggies/ even mold on orange rinds
• Bread/baked goods
• Sliced, shredded, cubed cheese
• Nuts/nut butters

Finally, according to the USDA, you can minimize mold growth by:

• Using leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
• Cleaning your refrigerator every few months with 1 tablespoon baking soda dissolved in a quart of water.
• Scrubbing visible mold using 3 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water.

For more information on food safety, food safety inspections, and food safety courses, please visit our Food Safety website. 

Happy & Healthy Eating Reminder: Preventing Foodborne Illness this Holiday Season

No matter how large or small your holiday guest list may be this year, it is important to be aware of safety issues when thawing, preparing, stuffing and cooking your turkey and other holiday meal additions. A few simple steps can help keep foodborne illness off the menu this holiday season. 

Safe Preparation:

• Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling any food. Kids can sing “Happy Birthday” twice to gauge how long they should wash their hands.
  
• Wash food contact surfaces such as cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next item.
  
• Kitchen counters and cutting boards can be sanitized using a solution of two teaspoons of unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Spray or wipe on surfaces and allow them to air dry.
  
• Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under cool running water and scrub sturdy produce with a clean produce brush.
  
• Don’t rinse raw meat or poultry before cooking. Washing these foods can spread bacteria to the sink and countertops. 

Safe Handling and Thawing:

• Thawing turkeys must be kept out of the "danger zone" temperature (between 40 and 140°F) — this is the temperature range where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly. See Safe Methods for Thawing, (Spanish version).
  
• Keep raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked. Take this precaution while shopping in the store, when storing these foods in the refrigerator at home and while preparing meals.
  
• Consider using one cutting board for foods that will be cooked (raw meat, poultry and seafood) and another for those that will not (raw fruits and vegetables).
  
• Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep fruits and vegetables separate from kitchen utensils and surfaces used for raw meat until those utensils and surfaces have been thoroughly washed.
  
• Do not put cooked meat or other food that is ready to eat on an unwashed plate or surface that has held any raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood or their juices.

Safe Cooking:

• Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. To check a turkey for safety, insert a food thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. The turkey is safe when the temperature reaches 165 F. For more information on safe internal temperatures, visit FoodSafety.gov's Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures
  
• If the turkey is stuffed, the temperature of the stuffing should be 165 F. Follow these steps to safely prepare, cook, remove, and refrigerate stuffing; Spanish language instructions.
  
• Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.
  
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg products, or powdered egg whites.

Safe Cleaning and Storage:

• Do not leave foods containing meat, dairy, eggs, fish or poultry out at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers — and any type of food that should be refrigerated — within two hours. This includes casseroles and pumpkin or other custard pies.
  
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
  
• Plan ahead to allow enough time to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator. You will need a day for every 4-5 pounds.
  
• Don't taste food that looks or smells questionable. A good rule to follow is, “When in doubt, throw it out."
  
• Leftovers should be used within three to four days.

Remember, only handle and prepare food for others only if you are healthy. It is possible to spread illnesses other than just foodborne illnesses through meal preparation.

• Don’t handle or prepare food for others if you are sick, especially if experiencing vomiting, diarrhea or flu-like symptoms. The bacteria and viruses that cause these types of symptoms can be transmitted easily to food and anyone who eats it.
  
• Use special care when preparing food for anyone considered at high risk for foodborne illness (older adults, infants and young children; pregnant women; and people with a chronic illness or any other condition that weakens their immune system).

Other resources:
Download JCPH turkey time handout or view the JCPH Food Safety web page.

It’s Turkey Time . . . Prevent Foodborne Illness this Holiday Season

Whether you are cooking for yourself, your family or a whole bunch of people, it is important to be aware of safety issues when thawing, preparing, stuffing and cooking your turkey. A few simple steps can help keep foodborne illness off the menu this Thanksgiving.  

• Safe Thawing-Thawing turkeys must be kept out of the "danger zone" temperature (between 40 and 140°F) — this is the temperature range where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly. See Safe Methods for Thawing, (Spanish version).  
• Safe Preparation-Bacteria present on raw poultry can contaminate your hands, utensils, and work surfaces as you prepare the turkey. After working with raw poultry, always wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces before they touch other foods.
• Safe Stuffing-Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F, possibly resulting in foodborne illness. Follow these steps to safely prepare, cook, remove, and refrigerate stuffing; Spanish language instructions.
• Safe Cooking-Set the oven temperature no lower than 325°F and be sure the turkey is completely thawed. Cooking times will vary. The food thermometer must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. For more information on safe internal temperatures, visit FoodSafety.gov's Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures

Other resources:
Download JCPH turkey time handout    view  the JCPH Food Safety web  page. 

Holiday Food Safety

The holidays are quickly approaching. The scent of turkey, ham, stuffing, and pumpkin pie will fill many homes in Jefferson County!  While creating delectable creations for your dining table, please keep a few of these food safety tips in mind:

• Thawing turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature. Get the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation on how to thaw your turkey!
• Bacteria present on raw poultry can contaminate your hands, utensils, and work surfaces as you prepare the turkey.
• For optimal safety, cook the stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole dish.

For more information on thawing, storing, and cooking your holiday meals, please click here.  

Getting to Know an Environmental Health Specialist...

With all of the disease outbreaks from spinach to sprouts, how do we know if the food served in Jefferson County is safe? Seems like a big job, and, it is! Inspectors in Jefferson County conduct over 4,600 inspections of over 1800 food service establishments.

We inspect all kinds of food service establishments; from full service restaurants to school cafeterias, grocery stores, and even the hot dog cart at a neighborhood festival.

There is variety no doubt about that, no day is ever the same. As we walk into a restaurant unannounced, we become food detectives and our skills of observation and surveillance kick into gear. Each inspection is a “snap shot” in time. We have to learn a lot about a restaurant in just two or three visits a year.

So how you may ask do we know what goes on the other days of the year?

We look for clues about how food is handled when we’re not there. We ask how they prepare items on their menu, collect information like food temperatures and we ask a lot of questions. We watch how food handlers prepare and cook food, wash hands and dishes. And of course we document any areas that need correcting.

To do your own detective work, look up your favorite restaurant inspection by going to our web site at http://health.jeffco.us/.