Final answer:
The label on a container of cooled, cooked roast beef should include the Date of cooking to ensure food safety and proper storage rotation. This facilitates tracking the duration of storage and helps in managing the food's consumption or disposal to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a food employee is labeling a container of cooled, cooked roast beef to be stored in the refrigerator, the label should include the Date of cooking. This is essential in ensuring food safety and proper rotation in storage. Cooked meats can spoil or become unsafe to eat if they are not consumed within a certain timeframe, hence the importance of the cooking date. The cooking or preparation date helps track how long the food has been stored and aids in determining by when the food should be consumed or possibly discarded. It is in line with food safety practices aimed at preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and the spread of foodborne illnesses.
Regular handwashing helps prevent the spread of foodborne diseases, and cooked foods should always reach an internal temperature of at least 74 degrees C (165 degrees F). Foods like jam and dried meats often do not require refrigeration because they contain preservatives or lack moisture, inhibiting bacterial growth. Perishable foods left at a temperature between 4 and 60 degrees C (40 and 140 degrees F) for more than two hours should be discarded to avoid the risk of foodborne illnesses.