Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                Buy, Store & Serve Safe Food

Buy, Store & Serve Safe Food

                        Food Facts for Consumers
          Food Safety in Your Kitchen
          5 Red Flags to Look For When Shopping for Meal Kits
          Everyday Food Safety for Young Adults Home
          Food
          Resources for You (Food)
          Consumers
          Buy, Store & Serve Safe Food
          Test Your Safety Knowledge About Ready-to-Cook FoodsBuy, Store & Serve Safe Food Test Your Safety Knowledge About Ready-to-Cook Foods
  
  	
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintTest Your Safety Knowledge About Ready-to-Cook Foods
***This simple quiz can help keep you healthy***

The U.S. has one of the safest food supplies in the world, and eating nutritious foods is essential for good health.

But foods occasionally do become contaminated somewhere along the food-supply chain – on the farm or in the consumer’s home, or anywhere in between. This can include ready-to-cook foods, which are any foods whose packages or labels tell you to cook or bake them, such as frozen pizza and frozen, breaded raw shrimp.

As with any food, a ready-to-cook food that has become contaminated with bacteria or other organisms that could make you sick might look and smell normal. Think along the lines of “just in case,” and follow the important safety tips in this quick quiz.

**True or False?** If a ready-to-cook food is contaminated with bacteria that could make me sick, freezing will kill the bacteria.

True
	**Incorrect!** Many kinds of bacteria can live even at freezing temperatures. If a frozen food contains enough bacteria that survive freezing, the food can make you sick, if you don’t cook it at temperatures high enough to kill the bacteria before you eat it. Follow the cooking instructions on the package to make sure that the food reaches hot enough temperatures all the way through, including in the center.

False
	**Correct!** Many kinds of bacteria can live even at freezing temperatures. If a frozen food contains enough bacteria that survive freezing, the food can make you sick, if you don’t cook it at temperatures high enough to kill the bacteria before you eat it. Follow the cooking instructions on the package to make sure that the food reaches hot enough temperatures all the way through, including in the center.

**True or False?** Some ready-to-cook foods were already partially cooked at the factory. This killed any harmful bacteria that might have been present.

True
	**Incorrect!** Partial cooking at the factory makes foods more convenient (for example, by shortening cooking time), but it does not necessarily mean that all the ingredients have been cooked or that the cooking was necessarily done at temperatures high enough or for long enough to kill any harmful bacteria that may have been present.

False
	**Correct!** Partial cooking at the factory makes foods more convenient (for example, by shortening cooking time), but it does not necessarily mean that all the ingredients have been cooked or that the cooking was necessarily done at temperatures high enough or for long enough to kill any harmful bacteria that may have been present.

**True or False?** *Pasteurized* egg products can be used in eggnog.

True
	**Correct!**...but using raw, **un**pasteurized eggs can make you sick, because some might carry the bacterium *Salmonella* or other organisms. They should not be eaten raw in eggnog or any other food or drink. If contaminated **un**pasteurized eggs are used in eggnog, don’t count on the alcohol in the drink to kill all of the bacteria – that’s not likely to happen.

But *pasteurized* eggs or egg products have been treated to kill bacteria. Look on the product’s packaging; it will tell you if the product has been pasteurized.

Of course, **any** kind of food or drink that’s supposed to be refrigerated can grow bacteria, whether or not it’s pasteurized, if you don’t keep it refrigerated according to the package instructions; for example, if you leave it at room temperature for more than two hours.

False
	**Incorrect!**...but using raw, **un**pasteurized eggs can make you sick, because some might carry the bacterium *Salmonella* or other organisms. They should not be eaten raw in eggnog or any other food or drink. If contaminated **un**pasteurized eggs are used in eggnog, don’t count on the alcohol in the drink to kill all of the bacteria – that’s not likely to happen.

But *pasteurized* eggs or egg products have been treated to kill bacteria. Look on the product’s packaging; it will tell you if the product has been pasteurized.

Of course, **any** kind of food or drink that’s supposed to be refrigerated can grow bacteria, whether or not it’s pasteurized, if you don’t keep it refrigerated according to the package instructions; for example, if you leave it at room temperature for more than two hours.

**True or False?** Microwaving will kill bacteria that might be present in ready-to-cook foods.

True
	**Correct!**...*if you follow the package instructions*. If the directions say that a ready-to-cook food should be cooked – not just warmed up – by microwave, be sure to use the power level and amount of time specified. Cover the dish, and stir the food, if the instructions tell you to. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer.

If you don’t follow the directions, the temperature might not get hot enough all the way through the food, including in the center, to kill any bacteria that might have been present. In fact, if bacteria happen to be present and you just get the food very warm, instead of hot enough to kill the bacteria, it can actually cause the bacteria to multiply, raising the chance that the food will make you sick.

False
	**Incorrect!**...If the directions say that a ready-to-cook food should be cooked – not just warmed up – by microwave, be sure to use the power level and amount of time specified. Cover the dish, and stir the food, if the instructions tell you to. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer.

If you don’t follow the directions, the temperature might not get hot enough all the way through the food, including in the center, to kill any bacteria that might have been present. In fact, if bacteria happen to be present and you just get the food very warm, instead of hot enough to kill the bacteria, it can actually cause the bacteria to multiply, raising the chance that the food will make you sick.

**True or False?** I need to wash my hands when handling ready-to-cook foods.

True
	**Correct!** Wash your hands before and after handling any food. Not washing your hands can spread any bacteria that are present, either from the food to your hands and your surroundings or from your hands to the food.

False
	**Incorrect!** Wash your hands before and after handling any food. Not washing your hands can spread any bacteria that are present, either from the food to your hands and your surroundings or from your hands to the food.

**True or False?** These tips apply only to ready-to-cook foods.

True
	**Incorrect!** The safety tips above apply to any food that’s supposed to be cooked. They apply whether it’s a ready-to-cook food (like frozen entrées or frozen pizza, among many others) or a raw food that you cook “from scratch.”

False
	**Correct!** The safety tips above apply to any food that’s supposed to be cooked. They apply whether it’s a ready-to-cook food (like frozen entrées or frozen pizza, among many others) or a raw food that you cook “from scratch.”

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      04/20/2022
              
              
Regulated Product(s)
		 Food & BeveragesBuy, Store & Serve Safe Food

          
                        Food Facts for Consumers
          Food Safety in Your Kitchen
          5 Red Flags to Look For When Shopping for Meal Kits
          Everyday Food Safety for Young Adults
 
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop