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September 15, 2005
Prairie Fare: Food Safety Tips for College Students and Everyone Else
When I was in college, food choices among those not on the “meal plan” were quite interesting. Students squeezed their meager budgets to the limit. I used to tease my roommate about her “monomeals.” She’d have one food, such as a can of beans or corn, for dinner. After my comments, I didn’t get to share her meal. Ever ingenious, my friends could whip up all sorts of menus using the appliances that were available. I learned you could fry pancakes in a popcorn popper. Looking back, the food handling was a little risky at times. Fortunately, college students have youth, good health and strong immune systems on their side. I bet, however, that some cases of the “24-hour flu” could be linked to improperly stored food. Windowsills in the winter aren’t good refrigeration units for leftover pizza. Here are some questions received by experts from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, along with good advice. Share them with college students and their parents. Q. Several slices of pizza are left out overnight. Is the pizza still safe to eat? A. No. Perishable food never should be away from refrigeration more than two hours. This is true even if there are no meat products on the pizza. Foodborne bacteria that may be present on these foods grow fastest at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees and can double in number every 20 minutes. Q. Our dorm has a kitchen with a microwave on each floor. When I microwave the food according to the package's instructions, it's still partly frozen. Why doesn't it get hot enough? A. In a large building, electrical equipment such as computers, toaster-ovens, hair dryers and irons compete for current and reduce the electrical wattage of a microwave. A community oven that has been used just before you do will cook slower than a cold oven. To compensate, set the microwave for the maximum time given in the instructions. Also, avoid using an extension cord with the microwave because power is reduced as it flows down the cord. Cover foods during cooking. Remember to stir or rearrange food and rotate the dish. Use a food thermometer to ensure the food reaches the appropriate internal temperature. Q. I frequently send "care packages" to my son at college. What other foods instead of cookies, crackers and candy can I mail? A. Shelf-stable, microwavable entrees are one option. These foods are not frozen and will stay fresh without refrigeration for about 18 months. Canned meats and fish, as well as dried meat and poultry, such as beef and turkey jerky, are safe to mail. Bacteria can't grow in foods preserved by removing moisture. Q. My daughter's college is only a four-hour drive away, so she comes home often. How can I safely pack leftovers for her to take back to school? A. For a four-hour drive, food must be handled properly to keep it safe from spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Leftovers should be divided into shallow containers and cooled in the refrigerator prior to the trip. Pack the food in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice or frozen gel packs. The temperature inside these containers should be at or below 40 degrees. Return the food to the refrigerator as soon as possible. Here’s a recipe that’s very economical and easy. It can be made in an electric fry pan or on the stove.
Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
