Food Safety for Holiday Meals
The holidays bring together family and friends. These special occasions typically involve food. To prevent giving the gift of foodborne illness, use these resources to prepare holidays meals safely.
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- Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety
- Poultry Preparation
- Holiday Recipes
- Food Safety at a Glance
- Smoking Meat and Poultry
Food Safety
It is estimated that each year, roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. Taking the time to keep your food safe is well worth it! It is very important to keep food safety on the top of your list when you are cooking or preserving.
CLEAN: Washing your hands and cleaning surfaces often will reduce the risk of bacteria spreading. Washing your hands and cleaning surfaces are especially important after handling raw meat.
SEPARATE: Cross contamination is described when pathogens are transferred from one surface to another. This occurs when ready to eat food such as fresh fruits and vegetables are cut on the same unwashed cutting board as raw meat.
COOK: Making sure that food is cooked to the correct internal temperature is incredibly important! Temping your food, especially meat, is critical to reduce foodborne illness.
CHILL: Keep foods out of "The Temperature Danger Zone" (40 - 140 degrees Farenheit). Harmful bacteria grow rapidly between these temperatures. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours to reduce bacteria growth. Make sure your refrigerator is set to 40 degrees or below.
