| Holiday Cooking: Keeping it Safe! |
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As the holidays approach we like to celebrate by entertaining friends and family, throwing parties, and preparing feasts. From the buffet table to the office party, food moves center stage throughout the holiday season. Be sure to keep food safe by following basic food safety steps...
Clean:
Wash hands and food-contact surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the
kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and counter tops.
Separate: Don't
cross-contaminate--don't let bacteria spread from one food product to another.
This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep these foods and
their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
Cook: Cook to
proper temperatures.
Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a
high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne
illness.
Chill: Refrigerate
promptly. Refrigerate foods quickly keeps most harmful bacteria from growing and
multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 40 F and the freezer at 0 F, and the
accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.
Visit the sites below for more information about food safety:
Thermy (TM) says,
"It's Safe to Bite When The Temperature is Right!"
USDA information on cooking turkey
Roasting those "other" holiday meats
Preparing a safe Thanksgiving meal
US Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline:
1-800-535-4555 (Toll-free Nationwide)
1-800-256-7072 (TDD/TTY)
E-mail: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov
reprinted from www.cdc.gov