Survey Reveals Americans Need A Refrigeration Refresher
American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods Offer Tips for Proper Refrigeration
CHICAGO (April 6, 2001) -- With warmer weather fast approaching, food refrigeration is more important than ever. According to a national consumer survey* released today by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the ConAgra Foundation, the majority of consumers lack basic knowledge about proper refrigeration of food.
While consumers are concerned about food safety, they generally do not follow basic safety guidelines for perishable foods.
The survey revealed that an overwhelming 91 percent of consumers feel it is important that the refrigerator temperature setting is set at the proper temperature, yet the majority (60 percent) do not know that their refrigerator should be set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure food safety. What's more, 32 percent think the temperature should be set higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. And, most consumers (67 percent) do not have a refrigerator thermometer to adequately monitor safe storage temperature of refrigerated foods.
The ADA/ConAgra program, Home Food Safety...It's in Your Hands®, educates Americans about preventing foodborne illness by following simple food handling and preparation steps at home. "Proper food refrigeration is just as important as washing one's hands before meal preparation. Foods need to be refrigerated promptly below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, " said Nadine Pazder, an ADA home food safety expert and registered dietitian. "Cold temperatures keep harmful bacteria at bay. Using a refrigerator thermometer is the only way to ensure foods are stored at the right temperature."
Do Touch That Dial
ADA and ConAgra Foods want to help consumers understand the importance of proper refrigeration of foods at home. Unfortunately, the survey revealed that consumers do not check the temperature of their refrigerators because they mistakenly assume the "dial reading" ensures safe food storage. Additionally, most people are not familiar with the recommendations listed in their refrigerator manual.
- Only 19 percent of respondents say they always or frequently check the refrigerator's temperature.
- One out of three consumers relies on the refrigerator dial reading to gauge whether food is stored at a safe temperature.
- Almost three-fourths of respondents (71 percent) do not know what their refrigerator manual says about temperature settings.
Avoid "Spring Fever"
Experts say most food poisoning is caused by mishandling of food at home. Yet, very few people equate food poisoning with improper storage of refrigerated foods. In fact, an overwhelming 84 percent of respondents say that neither they nor anyone else in their household has ever had food poisoning stemming from foods stored in their refrigerators. The symptoms of food poisoning can sometimes take weeks to appear, so consumers are not always aware of its cause. It's important to keep in mind that food may spoil long before it looks, smells or tastes bad. Not surprisingly, many consumers rely on these signs to determine food spoilage. The ADA/ConAgra survey reveals that seven out of 10 consumers rely on whether foods feel cold enough to determine their safety. Half of respondents also depend on smell of the food, and 46 percent consider the appearance of food to determine safe storage temperature. Most people forget about leftovers too. Eight out of 10 consumers do not label leftovers with dates.
Follow these simple tips for safe refrigeration of foods at home:
- Protect foods by setting your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit with a refrigerator thermometer (inexpensive and easily available at hardware and home supply stores). Place it in the center of the middle shelf and monitor the temperature regularly.
- Keep your refrigerator clean. Wipe up spills immediately and clean surfaces thoroughly with hot, soapy water, then rinse.
- Refrigerate or freeze meat and poultry the minute you get home from the store.
- Keep your refrigerator clean. Wipe up spills immediately and clean surfaces thoroughly with hot, soapy water, then rinse.
- Thaw foods in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave right before cooking. Thawing food on the counter is risky because bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature (the danger zone is 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Make it a weekly habit to throw out expired foods that should no longer be eaten.
- Divide leftovers into small portions and store in shallow, tightly sealed containers (two inches deep or less).
- Date leftovers so you know how long they've been in the refrigerator. As a general rule of thumb, discard cooked leftovers after four days.
- Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible and don't store perishable foods like milk or eggs in the door. Store eggs in their carton on an inside shelf.
- Remember the two-hour rule for prompt refrigeration. Perishable leftovers from a meal should not stay out of refrigeration for more than two hours. And, in hot weather (90 degrees Fahrenheit or above), this time is reduced to one hour.
- When in doubt, throw it out!
Simple Solutions
The ADA/ConAgra initiative educates consumers that home food safety is a serious issue and provides solutions so Americans can easily and safely handle food in their own kitchens. This program complements government-sponsored food safety initiatives that speak to the leading critical food-handling violations by emphasizing the following four key messages: 1) Wash hands often; 2) Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate; 3) Cook to proper temperatures; 4) Refrigerate promptly below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
For more information, visit www.homefoodsafety.org or call ADA's Consumer Nutrition Hot Line at 800/366-1655, where recorded messages (both in English and Spanish) are available 24 hours a day.
The 70,000-member American Dietetic Association is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the nation. With headquarters in Chicago, ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.
ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's
largest packaged food companies, serving consumer grocery
retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice
establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include:
ACT II, Armour, Banquet, Blue Bonnet, Brown 'N Serve, Butterball,
Chef Boyardee, Cook's, Crunch 'n Munch, DAVID, Decker,
Eckrich, Egg Beaters, Fleischmann's, Golden Cuisine, Gulden's,
Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Kid Cuisine, Knott's
Berry Farm, La Choy, Lamb Weston, Libby's, Life Choice,
Lightlife, Lunch Makers, MaMa Rosa's, Manwich, Marie Callender's,
Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Parkay, Pemmican, Peter Pan,
Reddi-wip, Rosarita, Ro*Tel, Slim Jim, Snack Pack, Swiss
Miss, Van Camp's, Wesson, Wolf, and many others. For more
information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.
# # #
*Impulse Research Corporation conducted the home food safety survey in February 2001 for the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foundation through an online survey of 1,594 men and women ages 18 and older, living in private households in the continental United States. The survey has a margin of error of ± 2%.
Editor's Note: To interview a registered dietitian in your area about home food safety, please contact Alison Baseley at 312/240-2848. For other nutrition topics, please contact Lori Ferme with ADA's Public Relations Team at 800/877-1600, ext. 4802.
Contact:
|
|
Lori Ferme
American Dietetic Association
800/877-1600, ext. 4802
|
|
Kelly Liebbe
Edelman Public Relations
312/240-2664
|
