Monday, July 03, 2006
Gaylord Herald Times
By Jil Schult, Journalism Intern
OTSEGO COUNTY – Summer is heating up and more people are frequently cooking out and eating out in restaurants.
“People need to understand; if it’s going to be consumed, it needs to be protected as a food consumed,” said Penney Massey, Food Service supervisor for the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency in Gaylord, noting that ice creates as big a worry as food.
“We’ve had several cases where hepatitis is transmitted through ice,” Massey said.

Dirt can get in holes in bags or from dirty coolers. Keep ice as clean as possible, she warns, and keep your hands off it as much as possible.
“Use a scooper to prevent hands from coming in contact (with the ice),” she added. “You have little kids and no idea where their hands have been.”
Massey warns about kitchen cleanliness too.
“There have been some studies in western states as far as how clean household kitchens are,” she said. “Most of the kitchens failed.”
She says people are not paying real close attention. They cut chicken, give the cutting board a quick wipe then cut lettuce.
When people take raw meat out to the grill, she warns, don’t use the same plate when the food is cooked.
“Always get a clean plate,” said Massey.
According to the Michigan Dept. of Community Health (MDCH) Web site, reports of food-borne illness tend to rise between May and September in Michigan.
James K. Haveman, Jr., MDCH director, urges safe and proper handling of picnic foods during July 4 holiday celebrations.
“Food safety must come first when having cookouts,” said Haveman.
“Food can look done before it really is, so don’t take chances. Hamburgers often brown quickly on the outside but may be undercooked inside, which is why meat needs to reach a safe internal temperature that can be checked with a meat thermometer. Undercooked meats can pose a risk for E. coli 0157 infection, which can be extremely serious and result in kidney failure and death. Always wash hands and utensils with warm soapy water after contact with raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.”
The Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency is the local health department serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Otsego counties.
For more information about safe food handling to avoid illnesses, contact Massey at 732-1794.
Safe food handling tips:
Jane Sundmacher, marketing and public relations coordinator for the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency, offers the following tips to keep your food consumption safe this summer.
– Many foods are best in their natural state, such as fruits and vegetables; others are not safe unless they have been processed. All vegetables and fruits eaten raw need thorough washing. When assembling cold salads, chill all ingredients before assembling the salad, including the dressing and canned meats.
– Cook food thoroughly. Many raw foods, notably poultry and meats, are very often contaminated with disease-causing agents. Thorough cooking will kill germs, but the temperature of all parts of most foods must reach at least 165 degrees. Use a thermometer to make sure the food has reached the proper temperature.
– Eat cooked foods immediately. When cooked foods cool to below 140 degrees, germs begin to grow.
– Store cooked foods immediately. If you must prepare foods in advance, or want to keep leftovers, be sure to store them either hot (140 degrees or above), or cold (41 degrees or below). If hot foods are to be refrigerated, they must be rapidly cooled to 41 degrees or less in fewer than four hours.
– Reheat cooked foods thoroughly and quickly. All parts of the food must reach at least 165 degrees within two hours.
– Avoid contact between raw and cooked foods. Safely cooked food can become contaminated through even the slightest contact with raw foods. Wash and sanitize all utensils and cutting boards after they have been used for raw meats and before cutting raw vegetables and fruits. Never use the same plate for raw and then cooked meats; always get a clean plate.
– Wash hands repeatedly. People should always wash their hands thoroughly before working with ready-to-eat foods, after using the bathroom, using a handkerchief, touching any soiled object or surface, handling raw food (especially poultry and meat), eating, smoking, and touching or scratching any area of the body including ears, mouth, nose, or hair.
– Maintain adequate hand-washing facilities. This includes hot and cold running water, soap and paper towels.
– Keep all kitchen surfaces clean and sanitized.
– Protect foods from insects, rodents, and other animals.
– Use water and ice from approved sources, such as city water, bottled water, and bagged ice. Never drag or store bagged ice on the ground/floor/truck bed. Always keep it in a clean, covered cooler.
– Frozen foods must be thawed in a refrigerator or as part of the cooking process. Do not thaw foods at room temperature.