Question: When do the first symptoms of food poisoning occur?
- a. immediately after eating
- b. two hours to two days after eating
- c. one week to one month after eating
- d. all of the above
Answer: d. all of the above. Common symptoms of food poisoning including stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills and fever can appear within a few hours after eating a contaminated food or several days to weeks, when they're no longer clearly linked to a particular food. In some people, symptoms of salmonella can hit up to a month or more later. Many cases of food poisoning go unreported because symptoms are passed off as the stomach flu or overeating.
Question: True or False? Leftover marinade can be used as sauce for cooked meat.
Answer: False. Sauce that's been used to marinate raw meat, poultry or seafood should not be used on cooked foods. Boil leftover marinade for one minute or prepare extra for basting cooked food.
Question: When entertaining outdoors, perishable foods should sit out no longer than:
- a. 1 hour
- b. 90 minutes
- c. 2 hours
- d. as long as they're covered they can stay out for the evening
Answer: C. 2 hours. Don't let perishable foods sit out longer than two hours in the danger zone (4C to 60C). Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Serve hot dishes in chafing dishes, crock pots and warming trays; use a food thermometer to keep hot foods at 60C or higher. Cold foods should be stored at 4C or colder. Keep buffet portions small and refill from back-up dishes stored in the oven or fridge.
Question: True or False? The 5-second rule: As long as you scoop the fallen food off the floor within five seconds, it's safe to eat.
Answer: false. According to a study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, if your floors aren't clean you might be eating more bacteria than you think. In the experiment, when cookies and gummy bears were placed on dry, floor tiles with measured amounts of E. coli, a large number of germs were transferred to the food before five seconds. (The study didn't involve damp floors or carpets.) Depending on where you drop your food, you might think twice before applying the five second rule.
Question: True or False? Prewashed, bagged produce does not need to be washed at home.
Answer. False. You should wash produce again just before you use it. Precut or pre-washed produce sold in bulk should always be washed before using.
All produce should be washed under cold running water before eating. Scrub fruits and vegetables that have firm surfaces (e.g. oranges, potatoes, carrots, melons and squash) even if you don't intend to eat the skin or rind - improperly washed produce can become contaminated during cutting. Drying produce with a clean paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present.
