No matter how large or
small your holiday guest list may be this year, it is important to be aware of
safety issues when thawing, preparing, stuffing and cooking your turkey and
other holiday meal additions. A few simple steps can help keep foodborne illness
off the menu.
Safe
Preparation:
·
Wash hands with
warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling any food. Kids can
sing “Happy Birthday” twice to gauge how long they should wash their hands.
·
Wash food contact
surfaces such as cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot,
soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next
item.
·
Kitchen counters
and cutting boards can be sanitized using a solution of two teaspoons of
unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Spray or wipe on surfaces and
allow them to air dry.
·
Rinse fruits and
vegetables thoroughly under cool running water and scrub sturdy produce with a
clean produce brush.
·
Don’t rinse raw
meat or poultry before cooking. Washing these foods can spread bacteria to the
sink and countertops.
Safe
Handling and Thawing:
·
Thawing
turkeys must be kept out of the "danger zone" temperature (between 40
and 140°F) — this is the temperature range where foodborne bacteria multiply
rapidly. See Safe Methods for Thawing, (Spanish version).
·
Keep raw eggs,
meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked.
Take this precaution while shopping in the store, when storing these foods in
the refrigerator at home and while preparing meals.
·
Consider using
one cutting board for foods that will be cooked (raw meat, poultry and seafood)
and another for those that will not (raw fruits and vegetables).
·
Keep fruits and
vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood.
Keep fruits and vegetables separate from kitchen utensils and surfaces used for
raw meat until those utensils and surfaces have been thoroughly washed.
·
Do not put cooked
meat or other food that is ready to eat on an unwashed plate or surface that
has held any raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood or their juices.
Safe
Cooking:
·
Use a food
thermometer to make sure meat, poultry and fish are cooked to a safe internal
temperature. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. To check a turkey
for safety, insert a food thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and
wing and the thickest part of the breast. The turkey is safe when the
temperature reaches 165 F. For more
information on safe internal temperatures, visit FoodSafety.gov's Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures
·
Bring sauces,
soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.
·
Cook eggs until
the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe
calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized
egg products, or powdered egg whites.
Safe
Cleaning and Storage:
·
Do not leave
foods containing meat, dairy, eggs, fish or poultry out at room temperature.
Refrigerate leftovers — and any type of food that should be refrigerated —
within two hours. This includes casseroles and pumpkin or other custard pies.
·
Never defrost
food at room temperature. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator,
under cold running water or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in
the microwave should be cooked immediately.
·
Plan ahead to
allow enough time to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator. You will need a day
for every 4-5 pounds.
·
Don't taste food that
looks or smells questionable. A good rule to follow is, “When in doubt, throw
it out."
·
Leftovers should
be used within three to four days.
Remember,
only handle and prepare food for others only if you are healthy. It is possible
to spread illnesses other than just foodborne illnesses through meal
preparation.
·
Don’t handle or
prepare food for others if you are sick, especially if experiencing vomiting,
diarrhea or flu-like symptoms. The bacteria and viruses that cause these types
of symptoms can be transmitted easily to food and anyone who eats it.
·
Use special care
when preparing food for anyone considered at high risk for foodborne illness
(older adults, infants and young children; pregnant women; and people with a
chronic illness or any other condition that weakens their immune system).
A Reusable Water Bottle: Not only will you be giving the gift of adequate hydration, you’ll save the receiver of the gift money and the world from further plastic bottle pollution! Any reusable water bottle is better than a plastic one that will be thrown away but, ideally, glass or stainless steel bottles are the best because they do not contain chemicals (such as BPA) that many plastic water bottles do. As plastic breaks down over time and loses its integrity, harmful chemicals from the plastic can be released into the water held in the bottle and can be unsafe to drink.
