We provide this free safety resource to visitors of the Community Room of SeniorSSuperStoreS in an effort to keep baby boomers, seniors and the elderly informed of matters that can affect their lifestyle.

Whether you're saving leftovers from a meal at home or taking home that "doggie bag" from a restaurant meal, food safety, especially during hot weather, is something to be concerned about. No one wants to be wasteful with food; however, no one wants to risk serious illness from food that was not carefully stored and handled.

We want to express our appreciation to both the American Dietetic Association and the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service for supplying us material for this safety resource for seniors.

Tips for eating leftovers:

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of eating your meal. In the summer, when outdoor temperatures are 90 degrees or above, reduce that time to one hour.

Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure the temperature is below 40 degrees to cool food.

Label and date leftovers and eat within three to four days.

Don't trust the look or smell of food to determine if it's OK to eat.

Reheat leftovers to the temperature originally used to cook the food, when possible. For beef, 145 to 170 degrees; pork, 160 degrees; poultry, 180 degrees. To be on the safe side, reheat restaurant leftovers to 165 degrees.

Vegetables, rice and pasta dishes last longer before spoiling than meats and protein rich dishes.

If you plan to make sandwiches that you will have difficulty refrigerating, use cured meats such as ham or pastrami instead of turkey. Meats high in preservatives last a little longer.

Storing leftovers safely in your refrigerator:

*Cooked fresh vegetables: three to four days;

*Cooked pasta: three to five days;

*Cooked rice: five days;

*Deli meats: five days;

*Cooked, sliced ham: three to four days;

*Cooked beef, poultry, pork, fish and meat casseroles: three to four days;

*Cooked meat patties, nuggets, gravy and broth: one to two days;

*Cooked seafood: two days;

*Soups and stews: three to four days;

*Stuffing: one to two days.

What to do with specific foods that are kept out of the refrigerator for long periods of time:

Most foods are safe when still cold but kept at 40 degrees or above less than two hours.

Discard when kept above 40 degrees for more than two hours: milk, cream, yogurt, eggs (hard cooked in shells), egg dishes, custards and puddings, cottage cheese, baked potatoes, beef, poultry, seafood, gravy, stuffing, lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, pizza, cream-filled pastries, pies with custard, cheese or chiffon, cooked pasta, pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinegar base.

Safe when held above 40 degrees more than two hours: Butter, margarine, hard cheeses, processed cheeses, fruit juices, fresh fruits, dried fruits, candied fruits, coconut, raisins, dates, fresh mushrooms, fruit pies, peanut butter.

Discard if kept above 40 degrees for more than six hours: cooked vegetables.

Discard if kept above 50 degrees for more than eight hours: mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish.