Being food safety savvy is important for everyone, especially at-risk populations such as pregnant women, children, persons who are immune compromised, or older individuals. IFIC, therefore, is always looking for new ways to share food safety information that everyone can use. One new strategy IFIC has employed is the addition of a video produced in partnership with a new Web-based company called Monkeysee.com. Monkeysee.com produces high-quality “how-to” videos and expert interviews at no cost to the viewer. The new video, How to Tell if Your Food Has Gone Bad, on the Ask an Expert page of IFIC.org stars food safety expert Christine Bruhn, PhD, Director of the Center for Food Safety Research at the University of California, Davis. In the video Dr. Bruhn explains how to tell when food is no longer safe to eat in an entertaining and easy-to-navigate way.

As the platform for effectively communicating food safety and nutrition information continues to evolve, Monkeysee.com provides an avenue to communicate using new technology. Furthermore, Monkeysee.com’s "how to" videos offer a visual, "learn at your own pace" quality that many Americans are seeking when searching for credible information on a new topic.

This "how-to" video includes 10 different "mini-video" clips. The following highlights some of the key food safety information demonstrated and discussed by Dr. Bruhn.

Food Safety Basics
Dr. Bruhn begins her video series by discussing food safety basics. First, she cautions consumers never to taste a food to determine if it has gone bad. Since it is hard to assess food safety by visual cues alone, Dr. Bruhn stresses the importance of monitoring food temperatures, most commonly known as "keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold." Additionally, she reminds viewers "when in doubt, throw it out" to prevent foodborne illness.

Many of the food safety practices Dr. Bruhn demonstrates are not novel ideas, but are often overlooked in consumers’ busy lives. Food safety basics such as washing hands properly, preventing cross-contamination (contamination of a food product from another source; food to food, equipment to food, or people to food), and avoiding the Danger Zone temperature range are the hallmarks of preventing foodborne illness.

Bread
From a store-bought loaf of bread to a homemade baguette, Dr. Bruhn covers all the bases on how to tell if your bread has gone bad. Dr. Bruhn points out that performing a "squeeze test" on a loaf of bread is a good way to get an idea of the freshness of the product. Searching the product for any visual signs of mold is also helpful in determining if the bread is safe to eat.

Luncheon Meat
Luncheon meat, an everyday ingredient in packed lunches for children and adults alike, is common in refrigerators across the country. Most luncheon meats are labeled with a sell-by or use-by date on the package. Dr. Bruhn suggests consuming luncheon meats within seven to 10 days of the date marked on the package and also advises consumers to consume luncheon meat within three to five days of first opening the package.

Dairy Products
With dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese, Dr. Bruhn discusses the importance of consuming these food products within seven to 10 days of the sell-by or use-by date. When it comes to cheese, Dr. Bruhn states, "The time when mold is good is when you have a mold-ripened cheese." Other varieties of hard cheese can become moldy, and not in a good way. Consumers will be happy to know that simply removing the moldy area can save a whole block of cheese from going to waste. Dr. Bruhn recommends cutting a quarter-to a half-inch off beyond the moldy area of the cheese to ensure food safety.

Leftovers
Dr. Bruhn goes on to tackle a tricky food safety topic—leftovers. What looks tasty on the surface may be harboring harmful bacteria. As always, Dr. Bruhn warns consumers not to judge leftovers solely on appearance, and again, encourages consumers not to taste the leftovers to see if they have gone bad. Dr. Bruhn warns, "Good as it might taste, it might make us sick afterwards."

According to Dr. Bruhn, proper food handling is critical when it comes to leftovers—they should be refrigerated no more than two hours after preparation. Dr. Bruhn encourages consumers to label leftovers with the date before placing them in the refrigerator, and to eat the leftovers within three to five days of that date.

Fruits and Vegetables
Dr. Bruhn provides several tips on how to tell if specific fruits and vegetables are no longer safe for consumption. For example, with more and more Americans buying their lettuce pre-packaged and pre-washed, Dr. Bruhn suggests checking the date on the pre-packaged lettuce and consuming the lettuce by that date. Visually inspecting the lettuce is also useful. Be aware of lettuce that appears watery, broken down, or has a foul smell. Dr. Bruhn also discusses other common fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, citrus, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Frozen Foods
In today’s fast-paced society, there is a need for convenience when it comes to food, which may be one of the reasons that frozen foods are such a popular purchase. In this segment, Dr. Bruhn recommends using frozen foods within three months to one year, and to use the dates on the food packages as guidance. When it comes to preparing frozen foods, Dr. Bruhn also recommends defrosting frozen items in the refrigerator or in the microwave.

Pantry Foods
Contrary to popular belief, foods kept in the pantry will not last forever. In this particular video segment, Dr. Bruhn discusses how to tell when pantry foods have gone bad. Dr. Bruhn encourages consumers to inspect the package’s integrity, and to be wary of dented cans and broken or ripped packaging, both of which should be thrown away immediately.

Washing Produce
Dr. Bruhn offers practical tips on washing specific types of produce in this video segment and demonstrates proper washing techniques for everything from lettuce to tomatoes, melons, and strawberries.

Properly Storing Food in the Refrigerator
In this last video segment, Dr. Bruhn dissects the layout of a common home refrigerator and offers food safety tips on everything from avoiding cross-contamination in the refrigerator to using a refrigerator thermometer to ensure the proper temperature is maintained. In summary, Dr. Bruhn reinforces the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s Fight BAC!^® Four Core Practices for Safe Food Handling, which encourages consumers to clean, separate, cook, and chill, in order to keep food safe from harmful bacteria (for more information, visit http://www.fightbac.org/).

To view “How to Tell If Your Food Has Gone Bad,” please visit IFIC.org or Monkeysee.com. Finally, be on the look-out for additional food safety and nutrition "Ask an Expert" videos on IFIC.org in the future!

The Danger Zone: A Destination to Avoid!

The Danger Zone is a temperature range, from 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria grow the most rapidly in food. In this temperature range, bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes! Therefore, it is critical that foods not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, and to make sure that hot foods are kept at the proper temperature. For more information visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/cfg/Color/jpg/07-dangerzone_small.jpg