Download 10 Holiday Home Food Safety Tips

10 Holiday Home Food Safety Tips
1. Wash hands before, during and
after food preparation for at least 20
seconds. Remember to wash hands
between switching tasks such as
handling raw meat and then cutting
vegetables.
6. Refrigerate food within two hours of
being served to prevent the growth of
harmful bacteria that can lead to food
poisoning.
2. Keep kitchen surfaces such as
appliances, countertops, cutting
boards and utensils clean
throughout meal preparation by
properly washing, rinsing and
applying an approved sanitizer.
8. Never allow foods to thaw at room
temperature, on the counter or in
warm water. Thaw food only in the
refrigerator or in the microwave
oven. When thawing food in the
refrigerator, remember to cover raw
meat and place it on the bottom shelf
so juices won’t drip onto other
foods. When thawing food in the
microwave, cook it immediately
afterward.
3. Always use separate cutting boards
for raw meat, poultry and fish and
ready to eat foods like fruits and
vegetables. Using color-coded
cutting boards makes the task at
hand easy to remember.
4. Use separate utensils to taste, stir
and serve food. Remember, NO
double-dipping!!
5. Use a food thermometer. It is the
ONLY reliable way to determine
whether that “bird” and other foods
are cooked to the proper
temperature. Remember to cook
your turkey to at least 1650F. Never
rely on “clear juices” to signal when
your “goose (er...turkey)” is cooked.
7. Use a refrigerator thermometer and
make sure it is set at or below 410F.
9. If taking food to parties, make sure to
observe the same safety habits as at
home-keep foods well-refrigerated
and cook them to proper
temperatures.
10. When baking, avoid eating foods
containing raw eggs like cookie
dough or cake batter. Raw eggs
may contain harmful bacteria that
can lead to food poisoning. Finally,
anyone suspected of having had
gastrointestinal illness (sometimes
called “stomach flu”) should not
prepare meals for others.
For more information visit us at www.clevelandhealth.org.