- [Narrator] For many of us,
one of the most upsetting moments of adulthood
was learning the five-second rule
doesn't exactly hold up.
- Five-second rule.
- You double dipped the chip.
- Raw eggs?
Haven't you heard of salmonella?
- [Narrator] To get to the bottom
of other widely believed food rules
and find out what's true and what's bogus
according to the agency that regulates food safety,
we reached out to Peter Cassell,
as spokesperson for the FDA.
To ease your eating worries,
here are eight food safety questions
you've likely had at one point in your life.
Rule number 1,
it's unsafe to drink milk past it's sell-by date
even if it's just a day or two.
Not necessarily.
As Cassell explains,
drinking a day or two after the milk's sell-by date
may not be a safety issue
but be more of a taste issue.
That said, drinking milk any amount of time
past its expiration date does increase the risk
of developing food-borne illness
from bacteria that might have grown, says Cassell.
But unless you're part of a population
that should play it extra safe,
elderly people, pregnant women
and young children would fall into that category,
and if your milk is within a few days of its sell-by date,
then you're probably good to go.
Just give it a whiff before you drink it.
Rule number 2,
you should drink from a cup of water
that has been left sitting out overnight.
Probably false.
Your water might taste a little funny
if it's been sitting on your bedside table overnight.
But water from a clean glass
is still perfectly fine to drink.
After all, Cassell says water itself has no ingredients
that would make it go bad.
However, sipping does transmit microorganisms
from your mouth to the cup.
It's a good idea to swap out your dirty glass
for a clean one each day.
(soft music)
Rule number 3,
white discoloration on a chocolate bar
means the chocolate has gone bad.
False.
If you were thinking of throwing out
that discolored bar of chocolate you just unwrapped,
think again.
A white film on the surface of your chocolate
might look alarming but it's most likely just fat bloom.
This occurs when cocoa butter fats
separate from cocoa, says Cassell.
Although considered a defect, it's safe to eat.
Rule number 4,
butter should be stored in the fridge,
not at room temperature in a butter dish.
True.
If your household is in the habit
of leaving a butter dish out in room temperature,
maybe you should rethink the practice.
According to Cassell,
doing so puts butter at risk of increased rates
of oxidative rancidity,
which leads to the more rapid development
of an unusual or unpleasant flavor.
On the other hand, refrigeration both preserves
the shelf life of the butter
and reduces the growth rates of spoilage microbes
which might be present.
So, refrigerate your butter
and if you want warm, spreadable butter
try using a serrated warming butter knife.
(jazz music)
Rule number 5,
all fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating.
This is true.
All fresh produce can be contaminated in many ways.
Animals, dangerous substances such as pesticide
and workers can all contribute to contamination.
According to one environmental working group analysis,
the USDA has found that
nearly 70% of conventionally grown produce samples
tested positive for pesticide residues.
So, unless your fresh produce and fruit
is marked pre-washed or ready to eat,
be sure to give it a good wash before prepping or eating it,
especially if it's one of the Dirty Dozen,
strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines,
apples, grapes, peaches, cherries,
pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers.
Rule number 6,
raw eggs will make you sick.
Since you can't tell from the outer shell
or inside of the egg it's contaminated,
always refrigerate eggs and cook them
until the yolk is firm.
Raw eggs have a chance of being contaminated
with harmful bacteria such as salmonella,
but since bacteria are microscopic
you won't be able to just weed the bad eggs out.
The best practice is to refrigerate, handle
and cook eggs properly, says Cassell.
Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm
and cook any egg dishes until
they are at an internal temperature
of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.
(upbeat jazz music)
Rule number 7, you shouldn't double dip.
True.
Double dipping can spread bacteria
and is especially sketchy
because a person doesn't have to be visably sick
or sick at all to pass on germs.
It's best to put dip on your own plate
so that you can enjoy it without spreading
any germs to others, says Cassell.
If you know that you are ill,
it may be a good idea to stay away from communal snacks
or foods all together.
Rule number 8,
if you bring a homemade salad to work,
you should refrigerate it immediately.
Keeping it at room temperature
could make it go bad by lunch time.
True.
It all comes down to what kinds of ingredients
you pack in your salad
but spoiler alert, they're most likely perishable
and should be refrigerated as soon as possible.
Lettuce, dairy-based dressing, cheeses
and other produce in your salad
should be stored properly at room temperature
at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
And most proteins such as meat, poultry,
eggs and seafood should all be refrigerated
within two hours of cooking or purchasing
or within one hour if the temperature outside
is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, says Cassell.
So, basically, unless you're planning on a 10 a.m. lunch
you should store salad in an insulated lunch bag
with a pack of ice
or just stick your Tupperware in the office fridge.
So now that you know these rules,
you can consume with a little peace of mind.
Enjoy your food.