How Much Do You Know about Safe Handling of Food?

Do you really know about food safety and expiration dates?  Test your knowledge and learn something new as you check your answers.  Click on the link at the end of the quiz to see our explanations about each answer.

 1. What percentage of food-borne illness is caused by mishandling of foods at home?

a) 4%      b) 17%      c) 31%

2. Which is most likely to make you sick?

a) refrigerated leftovers of canned peaches that smell bad

b) refrigerated open salad dressing that’s two weeks past its “use-by” date

c) a cooked casserole that’s been on your buffet 3 hours

3. Which is most likely to make you sick?

a) mayonnaise you take on a  picnic

b) raw chicken you marinate on your counter for 3 hours

c) eggs that are three weeks past the “sell-by” date

4. The “use-by” date on a package of cookies refers to

a) the opened package

b) the unopened package

c) both of the above

5. In the U.S., what does tainted food cost per year (in medical bills, lost work time, etc.)?

a) $155 million    

b) $4 billion    

c) $152 billion

6. What should you do with beef that has a little “freezer burn” (dried out brownish patches)?          

a) Cut off the brown patches and use the rest.

b) Throw out the whole piece because it won’t taste good.

c) Throw it out because it’s contaminated and could make  you sick.

7. The “use-by” date on a food product tells you that a few days after that date,  ________  

a) the food is no longer safe to consume.

b) the food is likely to taste and smell bad.

c) the food won’t be at its best in terms of quality (taste, texture, nutrition etc.).

8. Fresh fruit should be washed ________ 

a) when you first bring it home.

b) just before you are going to consume, serve, or cook it.

c) only if you are going to eat the skin or peel.

9. Ground beef should be wrapped this way for freezing:

a) tightly and either double-wrapped or put in  freezer wrap or a freezer bag.

b) loosely to allow room for expansion.

c) with small holes in the wrapping to allow the beef to “breathe. 

10.  If soft cheese (such as brie) gets moldy in one small section, you should _________

a) cut off the mold and use the rest immediately before the mold spreads.

b) throw out the entire piece of cheese.

c) eat the mold because it’s very tasty.

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