How to Store Meat to Prevent Food Poisoning

Although the media makes much of sensational food stories, the greatest food safety issue occurs in our homes. The symptoms we commonly attribute to the stomach flu can be misdiagnosed cases of food poisoning. Protein-rich foods like meat provide a common culprit of food poisoning, so you must utilize proper storage techniques to deny microbes a chance to grow.

Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands before handling the meat you wish to store. The bacterium that causes staph food poisoning lives in nasal passages and on skin. It thrives on protein-rich dishes such as seafood and ham.

• 2

  Store your raw meat on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator or freezer. This prevents juices contaminated with microbes from dripping onto other foods you might consume raw, like produce or baked goods.

• 3

  Place leftover dishes containing meat into shallow containers before refrigerating. You mustn't place large pots of food containing meat into the refrigerator to chill. Shallow dishes allow the meat to cool quickly to a safe holding temperature of 40 degrees F or less.

• 4

  Keep meats below 40 degrees F or above 140 degrees F. The microbes responsible for most cases of food poisoning thrive at these dangerous holding temperatures.

• 5

  Use proper canning methods to preserve meats. A low acid food, meat must be canned under pressure to prevent the growth of the deadly C. botulinum bacteria that causes botulism poisoning.

• 6

  Set your timer for two hours at picnic functions. This serves as the maximum amount of time meats can sit out at room temperature. After two hours, you must return your fried chicken, ham salad and other delicacies back to the refrigerator.