As one holiday celebration ends and leads to another, food remains the centerpiece of many festivities across the world. Due to this, the topic of food poisoning and how to prevent such a holiday damper, is a hot one – no pun intended. The following list is an accumulation of nationally recognized health policies and guidelines, most having to do with cross contamination (the bane of most food poisoning in the home) for the prevention of food poisoning:
Storage
To prevent contamination due to poor storage, keep all meats such as turkey, seafood, chicken and beef separate from other foods in the refrigerator. In order to avoid the raw juices from contaminating other foods, use seal-tight plastic bags and other reliable containers to store raw meats. Store them BELOW the other foods in the refrigerator, especially dairy and vegetables to be eaten raw or “un-cooked”.
Preparation
To prevent the flourishment of germs apt to cause food poisoning, correct meal preparation is key. All cutting boards, utensils and surfaces exposed to a raw product, especially meat, should be thoroughly cleaned with the proper soaps and disinfectants. When possible, use separate cutting boards and knives for vegetables, salads, and meats. Remember that it takes only a very small amount of bacteria to infect an entire meal or to make people sick.
Cooking
Cooking all meat and meat-products thoroughly is incredibly vital to the prevention of food poisoning illnesses, such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeriosis. As listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website, the correct internal temperatures vary from one kind of meat to another. As for chicken, turkey, precooked ham, leftovers and casseroles, they should be cooked or reheated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, steaks, roasts, chops and fresh pork must be brought to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Left Overs
Leftovers are often a treat for days – but how many days? That depends on the food, but food that is at high risk (such as potato dishes, meats, warm dishes of any type, etc…) should refrigerated within an hour (two at most) of serving, be eaten only after thoroughly warmed, and be discarded after 48 hours.
As one National Food Poisoning Lawyer, Ron Simon, has stated:
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million people endure food poisoning every year, including many during the holiday season. Signs of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, difficulty breathing and/or swallowing, muscle weakness, headaches, abdominal cramping and dehydration. To prevent these unwelcome guests from coming to your home during the holidays, follow proper food handling, storage and re-serving guidelines!”
To prevent the stress of food poisoning this holiday season, follow the afore-mentioned, simple, precautionary procedures.
