Eating and cooking with family and friends is one of the many highlights of the holiday season. For many holidays, food is an integral part of celebration; however, it can easily become a serious health hazard. Foodborne illnesses can be easily caught and spread if food is not safely stored, prepared, and cooked. These 10 easy-to-follow practices will help prevent foodborne illness and ensure a fun and safe holiday!
1. Defrost carefully. Defrost food only in the refrigerator, microwave, or in a cool water bath (inside a leak-proof plastic bag). When defrosting food in the cool water bath, you must be sure to replace the water every 30 minutes. Never defrost your food at room temperature, on the counter, or in warm water! When defrosting food in the fridge, cover raw meat and place it on the bottom shelf to prevent cross-contamination. When defrosting foods in the microwave remember to cook it immediately afterward.
2. Wash hands before, during, and after food preparation. Wash your hands with soap in clean, warm running water for at least 20 seconds. This can prevent a significant percentage of food poisoning cases. Be sure to always wash your hands after switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables.
3. Keep kitchen surfaces clean. Clean surfaces such as countertops, cutting boards, refrigerator door handles, and used utensils with hot, soapy water.
4. Use two cutting boards. One cutting board should be dedicated to cutting raw meat, poultry, and fish while the second cutting board should be dedicated to cutting fruits, vegetables, and other ready-to-eat foods. This is an easy way to prevent cross-contamination while cooking.
5. Employ different utensils for different tasks. Different spoons, forks, and other serving utensils should be used when serving food. You should never use the same utensil to stir or serve the same food. Never reuse a utensil that was used to taste foods!
6. Resist temptation. While it may be common, eating foods containing raw eggs or uncooked flour, such as cookie dough, can lead to food poisoning. These ingredients contain harmful bacteria and must be cooked before consumption.
7. Buy and use a food thermometer. Using a thermometer is the safest way to determine whether a food has been cooked to its proper internal temperature.
8. Refrigerate food within two hours of serving. Doing this will help prevent the growth of bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. It is important to remember that your refrigerator should be set at below 40°F!
9. Know how to handle mold. Some foods such as firm fruits and vegetables and hard cheese can be used, but you should remove about one inch around the moldy spot. However, soft fruits, vegetables, cheeses, casseroles, and any other high moisture content foods (bread, jam, or yogurt) must be thrown away if it begins to mold.
10. Practice kitchen safety. Being proactive will ensure that no accidents happen in the kitchen. Preparing the tools and resources needed before your holiday celebration is one way to practice kitchen safety.
While you may want to create an exciting and unique menu, it is important to remember who your audience will be. For example, high-risk foods should be avoided if there are guests particularly vulnerable to food poisoning such as older adults, pregnant women, young children, and people with weakened immune systems. Practicing safe food handling and taking exceptional care of high-risk foods, such as raw eggs, raw or unpasteurized dairy products, raw fish or shellfish, and raw or rare meat and undercooked poultry will help prevent foodborne illness!
Safely storing leftovers is just as important as safely preparing and cooking food. Perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Freeze or refrigerate leftovers within two hours of serving, otherwise throw them out. However, in hot weather, 90°F or above, refrigerate or toss food within one hour of serving. It is important to check that your refrigerator is 40°F or below and the freezer is 0°F or below. If you are unsure of the safety of holiday leftovers remember this saying, “When in doubt, throw it out”!
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