Spread Holiday Cheer - Not Illness - With Safe Food Handling

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Public Health
Article Date: 27 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The holiday season is a time when families and friends gather for good cheer, good times and lots of good food. To stay healthy this holiday season, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) reminds the public to use safe food-handling guideline when buying or preparing food.

Many holiday dinners include meat and poultry, a possible source of food-borne disease unless handled and prepared properly. Buffets, party trays or even a poorly stored turkey can be the culprit of disease.

Improperly stored food items provide breeding grounds for bacterial contamination, which causes illness that affects an average of 76 million people each year. In 2007, there were 431 Salmonella and 493 Campylobacter cases, which are the two most common bacterial causes of foodborne illness reported statewide.

DPH recommends the following food safety tips:

- Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, and dry your hands with a paper towel following restroom use, before preparing foods, after handling raw meat and before eating.

- Wash and sanitize food-contact surfaces often. To sanitize utensils, immerse for 30 seconds in clean, hot water at 170 ºF, or immerse for at least one minute in a clean solution containing at least 50 parts per million of chlorine (one teaspoon of 5.25 percent household bleach per gallon of water). Bacteria can spread and get onto cutting boards, knives and counter tops. Wash fruits and vegetables before preparing.

- Thaw turkey properly. Thaw in a refrigerator with a temperature of 41 ºF or less (allow 3-4 days for thawing); placing under cool running water at a temperature of 75 ºF or less; or thawing in a microwave and cooking the turkey immediately.

- Use proper cooking temperatures. Cook your turkey at 325 ºF until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 ºF. Cooked, hot foods should be kept at 140 ºF or warmer. Use a food thermometer to check temperatures. When cooking a stuffed turkey, be sure that the turkey, as well as the stuffing inside, reaches at least 165 ºF. Even if the turkey itself reaches 165 ºF, the stuffing inside may take longer to reach 165 ºF, the temperature safe enough to kill any bacteria that may be present.

- Prepare stuffing and turkey just before cooking. Using a cold stuffing may make it more difficult to reach the safe temperature of 165oF. Stuff the turkey loosely and use three-quarters of a cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Use a moist stuffing rather than a dry stuffing because heat destroys bacteria better in a moist environment.

- Cold foods should be kept at 41 ºF or less. After the turkey is served, immediately slice and refrigerate on shallow platters. Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within three to four days. Use gravy within one to two days. If freezing leftovers, use within two to six months for best quality.

- When transporting food, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

- Leftover turkey and stuffing should be stored separately in shallow dishes or platters. Rapidly reheat leftovers to a minimum internal temperature of 165 ºF.

- Proper hand washing is the most effective way to keep food and guests safe.

For more information and free literature about food safety, contact the Food Protection Program at (860) 509-7297.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state's leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state. To contact the department, please visit its website at http://www.ct.gov/dph

Connecticut Department of Public Health