PRIVATE MENTOR / HOUSEHOLD / Food Safety

Posted: 5 Dec 14

BASIC FOOD-HANDLING CONSIDERATIONS

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1.  Purpose

Just a quick bulletin of possible practical use to you -- and a placeholder for subsequent system-building processes.

Specifically, a couple of suggestions to help you save money, minimize food waste, and avoid poisoning yourselves or others.

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2.  Problem Solved

You open your refrigerator and are confronted with open containers.

• "Now, how long has this been here?"  
• "Hmm... looks okay... smells okay... must be okay... I think."
• "Oh, I don't know.  Better throw it out, just to be safe."

If this concerns you, then you might consider the following suggestions.

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3.  Suggested Procedural Options

DATE-MARK ALL FOOD CONTAINERS

• Keep a magic marker in the kitchen -- at all times -- even better -- several markers. (Grease pencils are good for writing on moist containers, erasable, and are, thus, very suitable for the whole job)
• When food ARRIVES -- or when you can -- re-write the expiration date ON THE PACKAGE (if available) so all can quickly see it (often they are tiny or hard to find or illegible -- and once you find it, you don't want to have to search again and again -- I don't know why some manufacturers aren't more considerate toward busy folks).
• If there is no expiration date to be found, then write the date of purchase (better than nothing -- food can lurk around for years -- and that's not all that reassuring).
• When you OPEN the food, write that date, too (like "O: 12/5/14") -- you'll be glad.
• WHEN STORING OPENED FOOD, CONSIDER PLACING THE WHOLE CONTAINER OR CONTENTS IN A ZIP-LOCK BAG AND WRITE THE DATES ON THIS.

KEEPING FOOD FROM BECOMING AN ENEMY

Here are a couple of useful Google searches:

• Shelf-life for open food
• Shelf-life for sealed food
• Food Poisoning
• To avoid food wastage
• To avoid food contamination

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Do you have something to add?  Please comment below.

David Nelson

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