Instructions: Deli and take-out foods have become a regular part of many families meals.

But mishandling these foods can affect their safety as well as their quality.

Any perishable foods handled incorrectly can cause illness.

Those with a weakened immune system are especially vulnerable. Pregnant women and newborns, older adults, those undergoing cancer treatment, or people with AIDS, diabetes or kidney disease are in this category. Following are some tips to prevent problems.

Handling foods safely
Harmful bacteria can grow rapidly in the "danger zone" (between 40 and 140 degrees F). So remember the two-hour rule: Discard any perishable foods left at room temperature longer than two hours.

If you wish to keep hot food you have purchased longer than two hours, hold it in the oven at 200 to 250 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 140 degrees F. or higher. Cover foods with foil to help keep them moist.

If you are serving the hot foods much later, they will taste better if they are refrigerated and then reheated. When reheating, make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, or heat the food until it is hot and steaming.

When reheating in the microwave, cover food and rotate it so it heats evenly.

Allow standing time to give the heat more time to spread throughout the food.

Consult the microwave ovens manual for recommended cooking time, power level and standing time. Insufficient heating could cause illness if harmful bacteria are present.

Refrigerate any cold foods immediately.

Food safety rules
We say these things often, but they are worth repeating.

Always wash hands, cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water after they come in contact with raw meats, poultry, seafood and eggs.

Because some bacteria - such as Listeria monocytogenes - can slowly grow at refrigerator temperatures, always use hot, soapy water to clean up any liquid that spills in the refrigerator, especially from packages of luncheon meats and hot dogs. Ready-to-eat foods, raw meat, poultry and seafood can contain dangerous bacteria, so keep them away from vegetables, fruits, breads, and other foods that are already ready to eat.

Extra precaution
For those with a weakened immune system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends reheating deli meats, cold cuts, hot dogs, luncheon meats, fermented and dry sausage, and meat and poultry products until steaming hot to destroy bacteria. If these foods cannot be reheated, do not serve them.

Do not drink raw, unpasteurized milk or eat foods made from it, such as unpasteurized cheese that has been aged less than 60 days. Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined varieties and Mexican-style cheese.

Hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt are safe.

Observe all expiration dates for perishable precooked or ready-to-eat foods.

Storage
Set your refrigerator to 40 degrees or below. Deli meats should be kept no longer than three to five days. Deli salads should be used within three days.

Serve fried chicken, pizza and cooked meat and poultry within three to four days. If stored longer, they may begin to spoil or become unsafe to eat.

Cooked meat or poultry can be frozen three to six months; fried chicken four months, pizza or luncheon meats one to two months.

Salads made with mayonnaise do not freeze well.

Foods kept frozen longer than these recommended times are safe to eat but may be drier and may not taste as good.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.