Serious Food Safety Question

[susanandbrandy]

I am at the point of obsessing over my food. I worry that every can I open might have had some microsopic hole that I just didn't see or that the meat I got from the grocery store might have gotten too warm on the way home and therefore is full of germs when I cook it. This is just the tip of the ice berg but if I could find something that would tell me the real facts on finding out just how safe food is then maybe I could rest my mind.

[babygap5]

Maybe you could check out the FDA website, maybe it can re-assure you to the safety of meat and the proper preparation of meat. I'm sorry I can't be of more help, I briefly went through what you are going through, and I got over it by using my nose. When I open the meat, I always sniff it before I cook it. If it has gone bad in any way, it will have an odor. Also, if the color doesn't look right, I won't cook it.

[pretty polly]

Its hard not to worry - especially these days. Like babygap said, it if
looks bad and smells bad...don't go anywhere near it. Always make
sure you cook things thoroughly, and use proper hygiene standards.
As for buying from a deli - most things have a "safe time" out of the
fridge, so as long as you don't go on a 3 hr detour in 95 degrees on
your way home from the shops, you should be fine! I'll have a look
back thru the posts coz I remember someone posting a list of do's
and don'ts when it comes to food hygiene - I'[ll let you know,,,,

[liriodendron]

Here's a couple of good web sites for you.



http://hgic.clemson.edu/

(And click on the food safety link)



http://www.foodsafety.gov/

Don't forget the "www" or the site doesn't seem to come up.



And of course you could always ask your question here or PM me privately and I will try to help.

[liriodendron]

By the way, the first site covers the time in transit for perishables
form the supermarket better than any other site I've seen. You may have
to click around to find that.

[dord]

I have to share this story....we went to visit family this weekend. We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner and got cheesecake to go. Well, we ended up going out for drinks and the cheescake sat in the car for a couple of hours. I really wasn't too upset over that as it was cool out but then our family wanted us to take it home which is a four hour drive, with no refrigeration! I was told over and over that it would be fine but as you can guess it went from the car immediately to the trash once we made it. My husband didn't put up any kind of fight because he knows it was a no-win situation...there was no amount of money that would make me eat cheesecake that sat in the car for a combined total of 6 hours!

[liriodendron]

Dord... I think you did the right thing.

Look, there's no guarantees that keeping something in the "danger zone"
(range of temperatures where bacterial growth is optimal) will or wont
make us ill but when countless official sources say not to do it, it's
not unreasonable in my emetophobic opinion to play it safe and throw it
out. It's taking a risk and in industrial workplaces, you don't take
any risks. There's even a federal organization that inspects workplaces
for hazards that can cause injury. So why is it so odd that we like to
elimate risks when it comes to our health? Read up on those web
sites and if someone gives you a hard time about the food, you'll be
able to give them a real good explanation of why it's a potential
hazard... In detail!

[crimgoddess]

Man...I am mourning that cheesecake you threw out. I would have been all over it like white on rice!


I know for myself and my family- we usually keep the desserts on the counter for a decent amount of time (unless it's ice cream of course)- never gotten sick, and have no issues with it.


I know that now it's damned cold where I live (Oh Canada)- so if were going grocery shopping and have a few errands to run, we'll leave everything in the trunk. Sometimes by the time we take it out it's all frozen- my poor boyfriend tried to have a chocolate milk-sickle.


*amber*

[mitch04133]

I used to be really bad about food. Constantly checking dates, not eating meat cause I was scared of food poisioning. I went through a rough time, and I didn't eat anything that was persiable for a year. I just finally said to myself if I get sick I get sick, oh well. In fact I had sloppy joes for dinner 2 in fact.

[meercat]

LOL @ Crimgoddess mourning the cheesecake...good one!

Dord, i admit i'd have done what you did, by throwing it out as soon as i got home. That WAS a long time in a car, and i'm sure you guys didn't have the air conditioner on to keep it fairly cool LOL!! So don't beat yourself up about that choice.

Now THAT was a dairy product so it's important to be careful with it...as well as uncooked meats. BUT!!!! We emets NEED to start using our "rational" minds and realize how we obsess over things that are quite silly! IE: Noooo, you shouldn't be worrying about a possible tiny holes in canned goods...the only concern with can foods is if it's can is bulged OUT! THAT is botulism! STAY AWAY from that! Now if it's dented IN...it's just a DENT from banging against something...don't worry about that!

That's only an example...but we really DO need to get a grip! We're killing ourselves with irrational thoughts on EVERYTHING ELSE...let's at least be rational with food. Just use your head wisely, and take the normal precautions that everyone (non-emets also) "should" take, with food preperations, and expiration dates, etc. Yes, use your nose...smell foods...NO FOOD should smell even the slightest bit bad...(ok limburger cheese aside lol).

It's Christmas time, why make it more stressful than it has to be? hehe!