How to Avoid Getting Sick From Hamburger Meat Even though we live in the United States, there is still a possibility of purchasing and consuming contaminated food. This is a frightening prospect to some individuals, therefore it is important to take cautionary measures in order to ensure that they food you cook and eat will not cause you to contract any sort of illness.
Being Aware of Potential Dangers One of the main types of food that can carry viruses and diseases is raw meat. Diseases contracted from eating raw and diseased meats are aptly named “hamburger diseases.� There are things consumers can do to greatly reduce the risk of contracting a hamburger disease. One of the most important things you can do is make sure that your meat is always cold. Bacteria grows very quickly when meat is at room temperature or warmer, so it is crucial that you always keep your meat very cold. This means that if you’re out for the day, you should make grocery shopping your last stop. This will make sure that you get your meat into the fridge or freezer very quickly after buying it at the store. You do not want to let your meat sit out in the open for more than a few minutes. Another common mistake that people make is thawing their meat at room temperature before they are about to cook it. Remember that having your meat at room temperature for a long length of time will increase the chance that harmful bacteria will start to grow.
Thawing Your Meat Correctly If you need to thaw your meat before cooking, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator. If you do not have time to wait for the meat to thaw in the refrigerator, you can put it in the microwave in order to heat it up.
This may not the ideal way that you would like to cook your meat, but it is much safer than letting the meat sitting out at room temperature before consumption. It is also important to make sure that your freezer and refrigerator are set at the safe and correct temperatures. It does not do your meat any good to place it in a freezer that is not adequately cold. Keep your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and your refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures will ensure that your meat, as well as your other foods, remains fresh and bacteriafree. Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you clean your meat thoroughly before eating it. Always make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling your raw meat. You should be washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling any food, but especially raw meat. Make sure to wash your hands after handling raw meat as well. This helps prevent the spread of any bacteria that could be on your hands. Another great way to keep your meat fresh is to store it in vacuum sealer bags. Meat stays the fresher and the cleanest when it is stored in clean, airtight vacuum sealer bags. Purchase a vacuum sealer in order to be able to store your meat in these bags.