Did you know?
Prewashed vegetables should not be rinsed. Only wash whole fruits and vegetables, including those with a peel such as melons. Rinsing your fruits and vegetables before cutting them lowers the risk of spreading germs from the peel to the inside of the fruit or vegetable.
Is it done yet?
Storing, preparing and cooking foods to the proper temperature can help prevent foodborne illness.
Safely store and thaw perishable foods (those that can spoil quickly) by:
- Keeping perishable items such as meat, fish and dairy refrigerated or frozen until needed.
- Separating ready-to-eat items from raw eggs, meat, fish or poultry to prevent cross-contamination.
- Thawing meats in the refrigerator or under running cold water
- Never thaw meat at room temperature.
- Using meat thawed in the microwave immediately.
- Refrigerating leftovers right away to stop bacteria from growing at room temperature.
Safely cook foods by:
- Cooking foods to the proper temperature to prevent foodborne illness.
- Following the “stand” time listed in the instructions when microwaving. This allows cooler areas to absorb heat from the hotter areas to complete the cooking process.
Lindsay, A. and Helm, M.
2025,
Food Safety 2 - Nutrition information for older adults,
Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, FS-25-04-13