USDA Issues Convenience Food Preparation Warning

Consumers consider convenience foods to be generally safe. Why then does the USDA roll out the "Cook It Safe" campaign for these meals? Do current microwave practices put Americans in danger of foodborne illness? Are you surprised that the answer is a resounding "yes?"

Introducing: "Cook It Safe"

In a news release Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hails the "Cook It Safe" warnings as a means "to reduce food poisoning due to undercooked pre-prepared foods." Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator Al Almanza explains that convenience food products are frequently misunderstood.

The USDA has some hard survey data that show the need for a "Cook It Safe" program. Survey responses suggest that 39 percent of Americans do not follow convenience food package instructions to the letter. Only 19 percent actually verify arrival at safe meat cooking temperatures with a standard food thermometer.

In related news: Pink pork is now OK

Consumers with their ears to the ground -- and an eye on their email inboxes -- will remember that in May the USDA changed its rules for the safe meat cooking temperatures of pork. Pork joined its kissing cousins -- beef, veal and lamb -- as a meat that could be cooked to the medium rare temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. While pork producers and backyard chefs alike cheered, the second portion of the announcement may have gone unnoticed: a mandated three-minute stand time after cooking.

Not just for resumes: Attention to detail matters

It is the three-minute stand time that might be news to some consumers. Going back to the "Cook It Safe" campaign, it is noteworthy that an integral part of the warnings surrounding convenience foods point to the details of the cooking instructions. For example, the consumer reads "cook for three minutes" and pops the meal into the microwave, steps away and returns when the appliance beeps.

What gets lost is the admonition to a) turn the food halfway through cooking or stir, b) keep the dish covered and c) ensure that the oven is operating on "high," which is equivalent to approximately 1,000 watts. If one or more of these directions are not followed, convenience foods may not be safe to eat -- even after three minutes in the microwave.

Ignorance is not bliss (one in six already know this)

So -- is microwave cooking safe? Are you one of the American consumers who needs a primer in convenience food preparation? Do you know safe meat cooking temperatures like the back of your hand? Do you even own a food thermometer?

Count the people around you; according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in six Americans falls ill after ingesting contaminated food. Salmonella infections alone carry an annual price tag of $365 million in medical care. Teens, young adults and anyone else who looks to convenience foods for quick lunches, dinners, side dishes and snacks will be well-served to heed the warnings of "Cook It Safe!"

Sources

USDA: "Consumers Urged to "Cook It Safe" When Preparing Convenience Foods"

Y!CN: "USDA Changes Safe Cooking Temperature Recommendation for Pork"

CDC: "Making Food Safer to Eat"