this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2023
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Mince is a separate category all by itself. High risk of contamination purely because there are a lot of surfaces that have touched implements during the grinding/chopping. However, all meats are pretty much OK if they reach 55 deg celsius which will kill all bacteria. Basically, if it reaches simmer point (just under 100 deg celsius) you are fine as long as the heat has penetrated through the meat. Which is where mince, having small particles, if fine if the mixture simmers for a bit - that is, more than 1 minute.
Roasts and steaks are a bit different, as the interior of the meat hasn't (usually) been contaminated, only the surface. So the surface has to reach a high enough temperature, but the interior can cook at quite a low temperature and still be OK bacterially speaking. And is juicier that way. Plastic packaging gives me the heaves. Ideal environment for bacterial and fungal growth - high humidity and temperature range in the danger zone unless your fridge (and shopping basket) is very cold. Vacuum packaging is marginally better but I still reckon is a bit sus. But this could be because I'm a bit old-fashioned that way.
Re: implements. Any implement is fine if it heats up as per above. Wooden spoons are probably the easiest to use as they heat up to bacteria-killing temperature just fine. Some interesting research has been done on bacterial contamination of wooden implements and chopping boards. Apparently it takes 24 hours and a clean wooden spoon/board has killed most bacteria. This doesn't happen with any other material.
Plastic implements need to be kept scrupulously clean, as they don't handle high heat as well. Metal implements (if left in the dish to heat up) are fine. Silicone implements worry me a bit, but I consider and treat them as plastic and so far so good.
The really important bit is to wash the chopping board and implements very well in hot soapy water, rinse in cold water and air dry protected from dust. Also to wash hands etc. well before and after handling meat of any sort.
Beyond that, it is possible to be too persnickety.
That’s good, I observe all that and the meat doesn’t hit a chopping board. Yes, it’s possible this person was just finding fault again
All very well said. The thing I would add is that contamination is somewhat "dose dependent" and you don't need to get rid of 100% of the bacteria for it to be safe to eat. You just need to reduce the amount to what your body is able to deal with (which will vary from person to person)
The biggest risk is situations that allow bacteria to breed - so using one set of tongs to move a steak into the pan, then using the same pair to transfer the cooked meat to the plate is quite low risk because the amount of bacteria that could have been transferred to the tongs and back to the steak is pretty tiny and would not be enough to cause harm. However if you were planning on cooling the same steak to cut up and use in a salad the next day it becomes riskier, because that tiny amount of bacteria is being time and opportunity to grow before you eat it. Similarly using the marinade your meat has been in as a baste at the end of cooking is risky because the marinade is an environment that allows bacteria to breen and build up to harmful amounts.
The time issue is also a reason why some things can be safe for a home cook but unsafe in a commercial environment - large batches of food take longer to heat and cool, and are often kept waiting longer to be served, so they are in the "danger zone" where bacteria can breed and increase for a longer time.
That’s good, as it used to be things would be thawed and cooked repeatedly as part of meal prep.
ie. Freeze bought meat so it stays fresh > (optional precook and freeze) > thaw and cook into actual meal > freeze food in portions