Food safety experts say “you only need a couple cells” of contaminants “to really cause havoc.
Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University.
Bryan Quoc Le, food scientist and food science consultant.
[This helps to] avoid … the temperature danger zone where bacteria like to grow.
And in a buffet or continental breakfast setting, food is likely sitting out longer than that.
As for juices, both fresh and pasteurized should be cold.
Shelf-stable juice packaged in boxes, bottles or cans dont need to be refrigerated, according to theU.S.
Food and Drug Administration(FDA).
Individually wrapped creamers and butter packets also dont need to be kept cold.
Avoid: Fruits and veggies that are soggy or tough to clean.
Melons, like cantaloupes, can be particularly risky because people often dont wash the rinds, he said.
It can also cross-contaminate other fruits or veggies it touches.
Dirt can … start to produce a number of different microorganisms.
Raw sprouts (such as alfalfa or mung bean) should be avoided, Shumaker explained.
Avoid: Anything from a shared bowl that doesnt have a serving utensil.
Jonathan Deutsch, professor of culinary arts and science at Drexel University.
I always have a go at sanitize my hands between making my plate and sitting down to eat.
If not cleaned and sanitized, norovirus can persist on surfaces for weeks, Shumaker said.
What foods and drinks are safest to eat in a hotel breakfast setting?
There are a few other items experts say are safest to consume.
[And] no ones touching them or handling them.
Do your research and follow your gut.
Besides the above safety guidelines, you could also check out inspection reports for restaurants and hotels.
(They are usually publicly available in the United States and many other countries, according to Deutsch.)
This article originally appeared onHuffPost.
