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To toss or not to toss, importance of an expiration date by Maggie Diebolt Public Relations The concern over the dangers of consuming fast and fried food has some people reaching into the refrigerator and pantry for healthier altnernatives. While this is a step in the right direction, it also is important to consider the potential nutritional risk of groceries at home. The question is whether and when to toss outdated food.   Brad Masteller, general manager of MUSC Dietetic Services, said he does not consume food past its expiration date. A big factor of food safety at home is the refrigerator temperature, he said. To keep food fresh longer, the temperature should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. The danger zone for bacteria growth on food is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, with the fastest growth evident in the 75 to 90 degree range. While the outdoor picnic season is in full swing this summer, Masteller urges that food be refrigerated or on ice until it is ready to be eaten to cut the risk spoilage in the heat.   Meanwhile, in an ABC News online report,  Michael Doyle, M.D., director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, had looked through a family’s refrigerator to see which foods were still safe to eat and which were not. Expiration dates indicated that some were still edible. However, these expiration dates may provide false security. At the same time, expired eggs and milk could be safe to eat a day or two after the expiration date, but deli meats should be tossed after four days. And while packaged lettuce may look edible two weeks after opening it, Doyle discovered that packaged lettuce was contaminated with a substantial amount of bacteria. Ketchup and mayonnaise are safe to consume for up to a year.   Mold on cheese can be cut off, leaving the remaining cheese safe to eat, removing a piece of moldy bread will not eliminate the invisible mold that may have spread to other slices.    Organic food, a popular choice for those trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, lacks genetic modifications and chemical treatment. But a downside to organic food is its shorter shelf-life compared to non-organic food.    Doyle cautioned against relying on aluminum foil, plastic wrap and containers for storing food and keeping food fresh, however these items do not make food last any longer.        Friday, July 7, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.