· Make sure any juices from raw beef do not come in contact with any other
food items. Packaged raw beef can be placed on a plate in the refrigerator to
ensure that none of the juices drip onto any other food items in case that there is
a leakin the package.
· Do not allow beef to reach room temperature before it is cooked, as this can
promote the growth of harmful bacteria. Beef should be cooked soon after its
removal from refrigeration.
· Leftovers should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as the meal is
over. Beef should not be away from refrigeration longer than 2 hours after
cooking. Cooked food left at room temperature for more than two hours should
be discarded or re-cooked immediately.
· When eating outdoors, food that has been without refrigeration for more than an
hour should not be consumed, especially in this hot weather.
· Beef that has been minced, cut into chunks for stew or kabobs, or cut into strips
for stir-fry is much more perishable than larger cuts of beef. This is because
there is more exposed surface area which increases the risk for bacterial growth.
· For meat that has been soaked in a marinade, the marinade should be discarded
after use because of its contact with the raw meat. If the marinade liquid is to be
made into a sauce then it needs to be well heated.
· Raw beef that has been thawed should be used as soon as possible. It should
never be re-frozen unless it is done immediately because of a change of plan but
it will significantly reduce the quality of the beef and also increase the risk of
food poisoning when the meat is finally used.
