Refrigeration Temperature Pet Peeve
It took me several bouts of food poisoning to realize propane powered refrigeration and tropical climates do not mix. Food that "seems" cold might be perfect lab conditions for food poisoning pathogen...
Forum Discussion
The FDA info is pretty much spot on but there are other things to keep in mind also. One thing that's not mentioned so far is that time and temperature must be considered when dealing with potentially hazardous foods. The longer the time at the wrong temperature the more growth of bacteria. Also the old belief that if you just bring left over food to a high enough temperature it'll be safe to eat. Not so if you're dealing with staph aureus or a spore forming bacteria. Mold growth occurs at low ph where bacteria doesn't usually grow(usually about 4.8). Mold can and will make you sick also.
Pull dates and two and three day rules are like old wives' tales. Food kept properly can last a much longer time the pull dates dictate. Conversely, milk left out of refrigeration a bit too long will be bad even if the pull date says it's still good.
For the variable temperatures that refrigerator door areas are exposed to, one should store non perishable foods there like beer, some sauces, mustard , ketchup, water, my cigars and the like.
Pull dates and two and three day rules are like old wives' tales. Food kept properly can last a much longer time the pull dates dictate. Conversely, milk left out of refrigeration a bit too long will be bad even if the pull date says it's still good.
For the variable temperatures that refrigerator door areas are exposed to, one should store non perishable foods there like beer, some sauces, mustard , ketchup, water, my cigars and the like.
