Page 13 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 9-18-15

September 18, 2015 Desert Wings

facebook.com/EdwardsDesertWings www.aerotechnews.com/edwardsafb 13

Proper care of groceries reduces foodborne illnesses

by Kevin L. Robinson, handling techniques:
DeCA public affairs specialist
Clean
Gambling with food safety is a ‡:DVKKDQGVZLWKZDUPVRDS\
bet you cannot afford to lose.
water for 20 seconds before and
According to Foodsafety.gov, after handling raw meat, poultry
one in six Americans will fall ill or seafood.
this year from food poisoning,
with 100,000 going to the hospital ‡:DVKXWHQVLOVFXWWLQJERDUGV
and 3,000 people dying each year. dishes and countertops with hot
soapy water after preparing each
Commissaries have layers of food item and before you go on to
food safety protection to help prepare the next item.
keep foodborne illnesses away
from their customers. However, ‡ )RRG FRQWDFW VXUIDFHV FDQ
once patrons purchase their gro- be sanitized with a freshly made
ceries and go home, who is on the solution of 1 tablespoon of un-
clock for food safety? scented, liquid chlorine bleach in
1 gallon of water.
With September being Food
Safety Month, the Defense Com- Separate ping bag, leaving perishables with- ‡ &KHFN IRU D ORRVH OLG RQ MDUV ‡.HHSSHULVKDEOHIRRGVRXWRI
missary Agency is reminding its ‡6HSDUDWHUDZPHDWSRXOWU\DQG out a cooler in a hot car for an ex- the hot trunk in summer and place
patrons to use the guidelines of tended period of time, and failing whose seals seem tampered with or in the air-conditioned car instead.
“Be Food Safe” when they handle seafood from other foods in your to separate foods that can cross damaged. Report a defective cap to
their groceries. grocery shopping cart and in your contaminate — all of these factors the store manager. For more food safety informa-
refrigerator. and more can lead to a food safety tion, visit http://www.commissar-
“‘Be Food Safe’ is an effective disaster,” he said. ‡ $YRLG EX\LQJ FDQV WKDW DUH LHVFRPDQGFKRRVH³1HZV ,QIR´
and simple process for commis- ‡ ,I SRVVLEOH XVH RQH FXWWLQJ then “Food Safety” from the drop-
sary patrons to help protect them- board for fresh produce and a sepa- A few more tips for handling deeply dented, bulging, rusting or down menu. You can also choose
selves from foodborne illnesses rate one for raw meat, poultry and food safely can be found at www. have a dent on either the top or side “Links” then “Health/Food Safety”
while they transport their gro- seafood. homefoodsafety.org: seam. to see a list of websites on the latest
ceries and once they bring their health and safety reports and infor-
purchases home,” said Army Col. ‡1HYHUSODFHFRRNHGIRRGRQD ‡ 8VH KDQG VDQLWL]HU WR ZLSH ‡8VHSODVWLFEDJVWRVHSDUDWHUDZ mation from other agencies.
Michael A. Buley, director of the plate that previously held raw meat, hands and the handle of the shop-
Defense Commissary Agency’s poultry or seafood. ping cart. meat, poultry and seafood before To find the latest food safety
public health and safety director- placing them in your cart to avoid alerts and product recalls affecting
ate. “A momentary lapse in food Cook ‡&OHDQKDQGVEHIRUHVDPSOLQJ contaminating ready-to-eat foods military commissaries, visit http://
safety vigilance can turn a deli- ‡&RRNSRXOWU\WRDVDIHPLQL- food. Either bring moist towelettes like bread or produce. www.commissaries.com and click
cious meal into a trip to the doc- or carry a bottle of hand sanitizer to RQWKH³)RRG 3URGXFW5HFDOOV´
WRU¶VRI¿FH´ mum internal temperature of 165 use before you taste. ‡:KHQVKRSSLQJVHOHFWSHULVK- box on the front page.
Fahrenheit as measured with a food able foods last before checkout and
“Effective food safety is a con- thermometer. ‡ ,I \RX XVH UHXVDEOH JURFHU\ group them together. For more food handling tech-
tinuous, nonstop process that be- bags, wash them often. niques, go to http://www.home-
gins with farmers, continues with Chill ‡7DNHJURFHULHVKRPHLPPHGL- foodsafety.org/food-poisoning/
suppliers and retailers, and ends ‡&KLOOIRRGSURPSWO\DQGSURS- ‡&KHFNIRRGSDFNDJHVIRUKROHV ately and store them right away. If food-safety-start-at-the-store.
with the consumer,” said Chris tears or openings. Frozen foods on an extended trip, bring a cooler
Wicker, a public health advisor at erly. Refrigerate or freeze perish- should be solid with no signs of with chill packs for perishable
DeCA headquarters. ables, prepared foods and leftovers thawing. foods. Perishable foods must be
within two hours (or one hour if refrigerated within two hours and
The “Be Food Safe” mes- temperatures are above 90 Fahren- only one hour if it is over 90 Fahr-
sage is simple: clean, separate, heit). enheit outside.
cook and chill. The Centers for
Disease Control and the U.S. Wicker said one often overlooked
Department of Agriculture- part of food safety is the manner in
Food Safety Inspection Service which commissary patrons move
recommend the following safe their groceries from the store check-
out to their refrigerator.

“Germs in a dirty reusable shop-

Chapel Corner

Gaining Altitude – Growth opportunities for the week Monday-Thursday Sunday
11:30 a.m. – Catholic Mass, 8 a.m. – Protestant Gospel Service,
This is a weekly segment in Desert Wings to highlight a spiritual focus Chapel 2 Chapel 1
for the Edwards community: 1 p.m. – Muslim Prayer, Chapel 1 9 a.m. – Catholic Mass, Chapel 2
10 a.m. – Protestant Traditional
Through our character±DQRSSRUWXQLW\WRUHÀHFWRQLPSRUWDQWLVVXHV Thursday Service, Chapel 1
in our community: 5:30 p.m. – Wiccan/Pagan Worship, 11 a.m. – Protestant Contemporary
Chapel 1 Annex Service, Chapel 2
What is the point of having an Air Force Ball or remembering the Air Force 4 p.m. – Catholic Mass, Chapel 2
Birthday? Is it about getting dressed up for a “highly recommended” dinner? It is Friday
more than that-it’s a celebration of our heritage that began Sept. 18, 1947. Since 1:15 p.m. – Muslim Prayer, Small Groups
less than one percent of the U.S. population serves in the military, we are a select Chapel 1 We also offer weekly small group
and privileged few. So for those who have served, take pride in knowing you have studies. Please contact us for infor-
played a vital role in our nation’s defense. But also remember to be humble, real- mation on times and locations.
izing many have gone before us paving the way for our ability to serve.

Through our prayers – an opportunity to pray for the needs of our com-
munity:

This week’s request: Pray that God would raise up another generation to
serve our nation.