Prompt Use

• Timing, as they say, is everything. Though most manufacturers put "sell-by" dates on their ground beef packages, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports this is not required by law and does not necessarily indicate meat freshness. This is why the USDA recommends cooking or freezing all ground beef within two days of purchase. If you like, you can form and freeze your meatloaf so it will be ready when you are.
  
  

Cleanliness

• Chefs such as food expert and TV personality Alton Brown recommend shaping meatloaf with your hands. If you use this traditional method, though, it is vital your hands are scrupulously clean. The majority of food-borne illness outbreaks can be traced to unwashed hands, according to the World Health Organization, which is why WHO recommends scrubbing your hands with soap under running water for at least 15 seconds and using a paper towel to turn off the tap, so you don't recontaminate your hands.
  
  

Safe Cooking Temperature

• Even if you make your meatloaf right after you buy the ground beef, and wash your hands thoroughly, it won't do any good if you don't cook your meatloaf long enough to kill any dangerous microbes present in the meat. A University of North Dakota Fact Sheet suggests 165 degrees Fahrenheit as the safe temperature for all ground meat dishes. Color is not a reliable indicator of safe temperature; use a meat thermometer in a couple different areas of the meatloaf to be sure.
  
  

Other Ingredients

• Ground beef isn't the only meat you can use to make meatloaf, and it certainly isn't the only ingredient which, if not handled properly, can make you sick. The safe cooking temperature for ground poultry is the same as that for ground beef, 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USDA. If you use eggs, only use those that have been properly refrigerated. Eggs should be clean with no cracks in their shells. Though not legally required, eggs almost always have expiration dates printed on the package. Use the eggs before the expiration date.
  
  

Proper Storage of Leftovers

• If you are lucky enough to end up with leftovers, you will surely want to protect them. If left at room temperature too long, any food is susceptible to dangerous bacteria and mold, even if it has been cooked to a safe temperature. The USDA recommends getting any leftovers into the refrigerator within two hours of cooking, while North Dakota State adds that any foods sitting out at 90 degrees or above --- at a summer picnic, for example --- be discarded after one hour.