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PARKERSBURG — Summer season temperatures make it harder to keep up meals at protected temperatures at picnics and cookouts.
The Mid-Ohio Valley Well being Division has tips about how one can preserve the meals fit for human consumption:
* Summer season warmth stresses fridges. Use a thermometer to watch the temperature of the fridge often to guarantee that it’s persistently 41 levels F or under. The freezer temperature must be 0 levels F or under. Have the fridge or freezer serviced if it’s not maintaining meals chilly sufficient.
* Make grocery buying the final cease earlier than going house. Meals left in a automobile in summer season warmth can deteriorate quickly. Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, seafood, milk, cheese, sprouts and different perishable meals gadgets inside two hours of buying. Refrigerate inside one hour if the temperature exterior is above 90. Keep in mind that tomatoes and melons should be refrigerated after they’re lower.
* At all times marinate meals within the fridge, by no means on the counter.
* Plan meals preparation to reduce opening and shutting the doorways on the fridge.
* By no means thaw meals at room temperature, reminiscent of on the counter prime. Secure methods to defrost meals are within the fridge, in chilly water or within the microwave. Meals thawed in chilly water or within the microwave have to be instantly cooked.
* Quickly cool meals after cooking by dividing bigger quantities for storage in smaller containers. Put it in shallow containers the place the meals just isn’t greater than 2-3 inches deep, utilizing an ice tub to quickly chill meals or cooling meals in metallic containers as an alternative of plastic or ceramic ones. Ensure to depart the meals uncovered till after it cools.
* Instantly refrigerate leftovers after a meal. Discard perishable meals which have been out of temperature management for greater than two hours.
* Transport perishable meals to a picnic or social gathering in a cooler on ice.
* Retailer and serve the meals in a shaded space at any time when doable when serving meals open air.
* Serve perishable meals on ice in an outside buffet. Discard perishable meals which have been out of temperature management for greater than an hour if the temperature is above 85.
The well being division serves Wooden, Wirt, Calhoun, Pleasants, Ritchie and Roane counties with its primary workplace at 1824 Murdoch Ave. in Parkersburg open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Name 304-485-7374 or go to movhd.com for extra info.
