Clean
How long should you scrub your hands with soap and water to effectively remove bacteria?
20 seconds
True or False:
Meat and poultry should be stored at the top shelf of the refrigerator to keep them separate from other foods.
FALSE! Raw seafood, meats, and poultry should be placed on the bottom shelf. Their raw
juices can contain an abundance of bacteria that can drip onto other foods. If you notice
raw juices, clean and sanitize the area!
True or False:
Once chicken turns white in the middle, it is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
FALSE! You cannot use color as a way to guarantee that a food is fully cooked. The only way to know if a food has been cooked to a safe temperature is by using a food thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
What is the best way to defrost frozen meats, poultry and seafood?
The best way to defrost frozen meats, poultry, and seafood is in the refrigerator. Defrosting at room temperature is dangerous because while the inside might stay cold for a while, the outer parts of the food can become too warm and promote the growth of bacteria. Other safe defrosting methods include the microwave or submersion in cold water.
What is an example of a "high-risk food"?
Undercooked or raw eggs, meat, poultry, or seafood
unpasteurized milk and cheese
raw sprouts
True or False:
If you are peeling an apple, it should be rinsed
TRUE! The utensil you use to peel your produce can pick up pathogens from the peel and
can spread them to the inside of the food. Always wash fruits and vegetables even if you
are not eating the peel.
Give an example of how you can prevent cross-contamination when preparing food
Use separate cutting boards (e.g., one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and one for fruits and vegetables)
Wash and sanitize surfaces between tasks
Wash hands before preparation and any time you change tasks (e.g., switching from slicing raw chicken to cutting fresh vegetables)
Do not place cooked or ready‐to‐eat food on a dish that previously held raw seafood, meat, or poultry.
When checking to see if food is done cooking, what part of the meat, poultry, or seafood should you place the food thermometer?
The thickest part
At what temperature should perishable items like meats, poultry, and seafood be stored?
40ºF or below
What makes a food high-risk?
High risk foods can contain harmful pathogens that require cooking in order to be destroyed.
True or False:
Wash poultry and meats before cooking them.
FALSE! Poultry, meats, and seafood naturally have bacteria in their raw juices. If they are
rinsed in the sink, pathogens can easily spread to other surfaces which can cause cross‐
contamination, putting you at higher risk of contaminating other food and becoming sick.
What could happen if you placed cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood?
Since there are bacteria on the plate from the raw juices, you can cause cross‐contamination and spread the potentially pathogenic bacteria to the cooked food. This could lead to a foodborne illness.
How hot should you keep food when serving it?
140ºF
How long can you leave leftovers out of the fridge?
Give an example of someone who is at high‐risk for foodborne illness.
Pregnant women and their unborn babies
infants and young children
older adults
people with weakened immune systems.
Before handling any food, what is the first thing you should do?
Wash your hands
True or False:
Using separate cutting boards for raw foods, like meat, poultry, and seafood and another for fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables, can cause cross-contamination
FALSE! Always separate foods that you will not be cooking from foods that need to be cooked since uncooked foods can contaminate ready‐to‐eat foods. Any pathogens on the cutting board from the raw meat, poultry, or seafood could contaminate the fruits and vegetables and lead to foodborne illness.
True or False:
Cookie dough should not be eaten until it is cooked
TRUE! Raw egg in the dough may contain pathogens. It may be tempting to lick the spoon, but wait until the cookies are baked to ensure that the egg is fully cooked.
What is the "Temperature Danger Zone"?
Between 40ºF and 140ºF
If perishable foods are kept in this zone for more than two hours, bacteria can grow very quickly. In fact, the amount of bacteria doubles every 20 minutes when perishable foods are at room temperature.
True or False: Leftovers are safe to eat until they smell bad.
FALSE! Smell is not a good indicator if the food is still safe to eat. To be safe, go through your refrigerator every week and discard leftovers that have been in there for four days or more. It is a good idea to mark the date on your containers so you can remember how long you have been storing the food.