If You Notice This At Your Local Deli, Turn Around And Go Somewhere Else

Delis, short for delicatessens, are the go-to food spot for many Americans. Offering various pre-prepared food items at reasonable prices, they are typically the best places to grab lunch or shop for things that always taste better from the deli. Whether you are buying a fresh salad for lunch or sliced turkey for your week's worth of sandwiches, delis never seem to run out of quick and ready-to-eat options, making life easier for most of us who don't have the luxury of time to prepare our meals. But as practical as these establishments are, there is one thing that you should always pay attention to before ordering, especially if it's your first time visiting a specific deli.

If you notice that your local deli has meats sitting out on the counter instead of inside the refrigerator, or if the glass-front fridges don't seem to feel cold enough to the touch, it's one of the signs that you are in a bad deli, and you should make a quick exit right away. Since delicatessens specialize in selling cold cuts, cheeses, sandwiches, and salads, they are expected to keep their products at safe temperatures. Many of these deli items are perishable. That's why deli stores have specialized refrigerated display cases to easily showcase the products to customers while keeping them fresh and safe for consumption. As such, even if everything looks pristine and clean, if proper refrigeration is neglected, it goes to show that food safety isn't prioritized by the store.

Perishable food items are prone to contracting bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses. Proper refrigeration is needed to maintain the quality of these items. Since bacteria multiply rapidly in what experts refer to as the "danger zone" or the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, items that sit out too long on the counter or those stored in a fridge that's not sufficiently cold become unsafe to eat quickly. Now, what's tricky here is that food items that are on display next to each other also tend to cross-contaminate, prompting authorities to sound the alarm and intervene. This may explain why deli meats are so commonly recalled.

Therefore, if you are shopping at your local deli and see signs that both the management and the staff aren't that particular about the right temperatures for their products, it's best to avoid buying sliced meats and dairy items from this establishment. At the end of the day, keeping these food items chilled is a non-negotiable part of food storage and handling. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even has an extensive guideline for the appropriate temperatures for refrigerating and freezing different meat, poultry, and dairy products, as well as the periods they remain viable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) strongly recommends discarding these items if they've been exposed to the danger zone for more than two hours.