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Food Safety
Safe food is one of the most critical guarantors for good health. Unsafe foods are the cause of many diseases and contribute to other poor health conditions, such as impaired growth and development, micronutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable or communicable diseases and mental illness.
Food can be a perfect place for bacteria and parasites to live and grow. If bacteria or parasites are ingested while eating, a person can become ill. Efforts by Springfield-Greene County Health's Food Inspection Team aim to minimize foodborne illness impact on the community.
The onset of foodborne illnesses vary greatly. Some foodborne illnesses do not have an immediate onset. Symptoms of foodborne illnesses include nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. These symptoms may last only 24 hours, or they may become severe and lead to hospitalization, or in extreme cases, death. If you experience theses symptoms for more than 24 hours, please contact your health care provider. Foodborne illnesses can be more severe in young children, the elderly, and in people with a compromised immune system.
Hospitals are required to report certain illnesses to the Health Department's Epidemiology Office. Epidemiologists study the type of illnesses in the community and how often they occur. The epidemiology staff will work with the food inspection staff to investigate the situation and rectify any problems encountered.
If you would like to report a gastrointestinal illness that could be a suspected foodborne illness, submit a service request, provide as much detail as possible about your experience, and be ready to provide a food history of your last 6 meals.
The onset of foodborne illnesses vary greatly. Some foodborne illnesses do not have an immediate onset. Symptoms of foodborne illnesses include nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. These symptoms may last only 24 hours, or they may become severe and lead to hospitalization, or in extreme cases, death. If you experience theses symptoms for more than 24 hours, please contact your health care provider. Foodborne illnesses can be more severe in young children, the elderly, and in people with a compromised immune system.
Hospitals are required to report certain illnesses to the Health Department's Epidemiology Office. Epidemiologists study the type of illnesses in the community and how often they occur. The epidemiology staff will work with the food inspection staff to investigate the situation and rectify any problems encountered.
If you would like to report a gastrointestinal illness that could be a suspected foodborne illness, submit a service request, provide as much detail as possible about your experience, and be ready to provide a food history of your last 6 meals.
The end-of-year holidays often mean LOTS of food. Help keep your family and friends safe from foodborne illness with these tips and resources.
- Wash your hands often.
When cooking for a holiday meal, there are often many dishes being prepared at once in the kitchen. Wash your hands between tasks, especially when switching from potentially hazardous foods like raw meat to ready-to-eat foods like salad or dessert.
More information on handwashing in the kitchen - Safely thaw your turkey (or other frozen meat).
The safest way to thaw frozen meat is in the fridge, and a large turkey may take several days to completely thaw!
More information on safely thawing your turkey - Cook all foods to their correct temperatures.
The turkey isn't done until it reaches 165°F! See the proper cooking temperatures for all of your favorite holiday foods in the graphic on the right.
More information on using a kitchen thermometer - Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
For hot foods, consider using a slow cooker or keeping food on the stove or in the oven in order to keep the food at a high enough temperature while serving. For cold foods, consider using an ice bath under a bowl or keeping foods in the fridge as long as possible. If you are taking food to another location, make sure you plan to keep the food at the right temperature during travel.
More information on the food temperature "danger zone" - Put away leftovers as soon as possible.
Leaving your leftovers sitting out for hours provides the perfect recipe for bacteria to grow in your food. As soon as everyone has eaten, get the leftovers in the fridge.
More information on cooling and storing leftovers
A power outage may occur during a seasonal storm such as a tornado, ice storm, flood, or may simply be caused by work being done on electric lines. Whatever the cause, the following recommendations apply to food safety in power outages.
SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
- Use a Thermometer: Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer at all times to see if food is being stored at safe temperatures (34 to 45ºF for the refrigerator; 0ºF or below for the freezer). The key to determining the safety of foods in the refrigerator and freezer is how cold they are. Most foodborne illnesses are caused by bacteria that multiply rapidly at temperatures above 45ºF.
- Leave the Freezer Door Closed: A full freezer should keep food safe about two days; a half-full freezer, about a day. Add bags of ice or dry ice to the freezer if it appears the power will be off for an extended time. You can safely refreeze thawed foods that still contain ice crystals or feel cold to the touch.
- Refrigerated items: These foods should be safe as long as the power is out no more than about four to six hours. Discard any perishable food that has been above 45ºF for two hours or more and any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture. Leave the door closed; every time you open it, needed cold air escapes, causing the foods inside to reach unsafe temperatures.
If it appears the power will be off more than six hours, transfer perishable foods to an insulator cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Keep a thermometer in the cooler to be sure the food stays at 45ºF or below. - Never Taste Food to Determine Its Safety: Some foods may look and smell fine, but if they've been at room temperature longer than two hours, bacteria able to cause foodborne illness can begin to multiply very rapidly. Some types will produce toxins, which are not destroyed by cooking and can possibly cause illness.
Refrigerated foods: What do do if it has been held above 45ºF over 2 hours
| Food | What to do |
|---|---|
Meat, Poultry, Seafood | Discard |
Soft Cheeses: blue/bleu, Roquefort, Brie, Camembert, cottage, cream, Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchatel, Queso blanco fresco, | Discard |
Hard Cheeses: Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano, Grated Parmesan, Romano, or combination (in can or jar) | Safe |
Dairy: Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk, opened baby formula | Discard |
| Butter, margarine | Safe |
Eggs: Fresh eggs, hard-cooked in shell, egg dishes, egg products, custards and puddings | Discard |
| Casseroles, Soups, Stews | Discard |
| Fruits: Fresh fruits (cut) | Discard |
Fruit juices (opened), Canned fruits (opened), Fresh fruits, coconut, raisins, dried fruits, candied fruits, dates | Safe |
| Sauces, Spreads, Jams: Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish | Discard if above 50°F for over 8 hours |
Peanut butter, Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard, catsup, olives, pickles, Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, Hoisin sauces, vinegar-based dressings | Safe |
Fish sauces (oyster sauce), Opened creamy-based dressings, Spaghetti sauce (opened jar) | Discard |
Bread, Cakes, Cookies, Pasta, Grains: Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins quick breads, tortillas, Breakfast foods- waffles, pancakes, bagels | Safe |
Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, and cookie dough, Cooked pasta, rice potatoes, Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinaigrette, Fresh pasta, Cheesecake | Discard |
Pies, Pastry: Pastries (cream filled), Pies- custard, cheese filled or chiffon; quiche | Discard |
| Pies (fruit) | Safe |
| Vegetables: Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices, Vegetables (raw) | Safe |
Greens (pre-cut, pre-washed, packaged), Vegetables (cooked); tofu Vegetable juices (opened), Baked potatoes, Commercial garlic in oil, Potato Salad | Discard |
Frozen food: What to do
| Food | If it still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | If it is thawed and held at above 45°F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
Meat, Poultry, Seafood: Beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ground meats, Poultry and ground poultry, Variety meats (liver, kidney, heart, chitterlings), Casseroles, stews, soups | Refreeze | Discard |
| Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products | Refreeze, however there will be some texture and flavor loss | Discard |
| Dairy: Milk, Cheese (soft and semi-soft) | Refreeze, may lose some texture | Discard |
| Eggs (out of shell) and egg products | Refreeze | Discard |
Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Discard | Discard |
| Hard cheeses | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Shredded cheeses, Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses, Cheesecake | Refreeze | Discard |
| Fruits: Juices | Refreeze | Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell or sliminess develops |
Breads, Pastries: Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (without custard fillings) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling | Refreeze | Discard |
Pie crusts, commercial and homemade bread dough | Refreeze, some quality loss may occur | Refreeze, quality loss is considerable |
| Other: Casseroles (pasta, rice based) | Refreeze | Discard |
| Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Breakfast items: waffles, pancakes, bagels | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Frozen meal, entrée, specialty items (pizza, sausage, and biscuit, meat pie, convenience foods) | Refreeze | Discard |