Imagine this...

You have a fridge full of groceries just purchased and the power goes out. Or, you want to bring a snack of yogurt and string cheese to the park on a hot summer day. How do you know what is okay to eat and what could be dangerous? How can you enjoy these snacks safely? Making sure the food you eat and offer your family is safe to eat is important.

So why is food safety such a big deal?

All dairy foods are perishable. This means that yogurt, cheese, milk, ice cream, and other dairy foods must stay cold or they will start to go bad. When food goes bad, it can sometimes smell and look terrible. It can also look or smell fine, but still be harmful. Food safety is important because perishable foods that go bad can be bad for you too. Spoiled food can cause illness. Dairy is only one type of perishable food. Other foods can go bad too.

Have you ever faced a food safety challenge keeping dairy or other perishables chilled? We have lots of great tips and helpful information for times like these. Check them out and know what to do the next time you find yourself questioning the freshness of your dairy items.

Dairy Do’s - Keep it Cool

Chill perishable food as soon as you get home from the store. Use insulated bags, coolers with ice, or ice packs to keep foods cold while traveling from the grocery store to your home refrigerator.
Defrost frozen foods properly. Place items in the refrigerator overnight or place them in a sink of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until thawed. Do not microwave or use hot water to speed up the thawing process. This can cause harmful bacteria to grow. An example of a frozen dairy item is shredded cheese you decided to buy when it was on sale. Freezing the extra bag will keep the cheese from going bad.

Refrigerate or freeze prepared foods. This includes leftovers. The general rule is to put leftovers away immediately after the meal is over. Food should not be hot when stored in the fridge. Two hours is the limit for leaving any type of food out including dairy foods. Keep in mind the outside temperature can affect this time. If it is a hot summer day, even 2 hours might be too long. So after your family finishes a meal, put the leftovers in the fridge right away. Allow hot foods like soups to cool down within the 2-hour limit. Use small separate containers to help soups and stews cool down quickly before storing in the fridge.

Tip

Shelf-stable dairy does not need to be refrigerated. It is still important to look at the expiration date and inspect the foods. Expired foods can also be bad for you. Make sure to use your senses and inspect or smell the food before using. Shelf-stable dairy includes unopened items like canned milk, UHT milk, UHT soy beverages, and powdered milk.

Other Thoughts to Keep in Mind

Choose pasteurized milk. This is milk that has been treated with heat to get rid of harmful bacteria that can be found in raw milk.
Discard food. Get rid of food if it has been left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. Follow this rule even though the food or drink may look and smell good.
Pay attention to expiration dates. These dates help determine the best quality of the food. These dates also let you know when it is time to inspect if the food is still okay to eat. Throw out foods and drinks that have expired and smell or taste off.

Recommendation

We recommend this resource for more information about food safety and expiration dates: Understanding Food Dates.