Holiday Food Safety

November 2, 2011

Here are some quick reminders about the importance of food safety, especially with Holiday Meals in the coming months. The Four Steps To Food Safety can help prevent foodborne illness in the home.

1) Clean! Everything that touches food should be clean. Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Consumers have a role in ensuring that food is handled safely after it is purchased.

2) Separate! Fight cross-contamination! Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, utensils and hands.

3) Cook! Use a food thermometer in cooking. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria (germs). Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of foods, such as meat, hamburgers, poultry, egg casseroles, and any combination dishes to ensure that a safe temperature is reached and that harmful bacteria are destroyed. For a guide to safe cooking temperatures for various foods see the chart at: http://www.foodsaftey.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

4) Chill! Make sure the temperature in the refrigerator is 40 °F or below and 0 °F or below in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow most rapidly in the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 135 °F — so it’s important to keep food out of this temperature range. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours of purchase or preparation, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F.

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE:  It is important to follow healthy guidelines over the holidays, particularly when groups are gathering for meals. (1) Wash your hands frequently. (2) Cover your cough. (3) Stay at home if you are ill. (4) Get a flu shot if you haven’t already (available at the Health Department - call 419-774-4700 for an appointment). The temptation to visit family for the holidays should not overcome the need to keep everyone from getting ill. Have someone bring you leftovers!

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