| Holiday Food Safety Tips from the Government | |
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When it comes to holiday food preparation and safety, "People get sloppy," say the experts at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
At Christmas in 1997, all 56 guests at a catered event in Spokane, Wash., developed cryptosporidiosis, a parasitic disease whose symptoms can persist for weeks. The unlikely source was the green onions used as garnish, contaminated through bare-hand contact by an infected food worker.
In 1997 in Pike County, Ohio, 13 people became sick at a Thanksgiving get-together. Nine tested positive for the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis found in the turkey, gravy, stuffing, two pies, and several other foods. A food handler had somehow transferred bacteria from one food to the next.
Still, millions of American consumers manage to gobble millions of pounds of turkey, ham, and assorted sides and desserts safely every holiday season. Here are some tips for some of our most-trusted government agencies to help you make sure your holiday dinner guests push away from the table suffering only from bloated satisfaction and temporary guilt.
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Countdown to the Holiday: 1-2-3 and into the oven goes the turkeyCooking the traditional turkey dinner never fails to give rise to anxieties and questions. What kind of turkey should I buy? Should I buy a frozen turkey or a fresh one? How do I store my turkey? These simple steps, from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service will not only ease your holiday fears, but will ensure a delicious and a safe meal for you, your family, and your friends.
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Home for the Holidays: Preventing Foodborne Illness at Family GatheringsThe unique nature of holiday cooking make some of our favorite traditional goodies rich sources for foodborne disease. Holiday cooking is often a group effort and cooked foods are often transported and not eaten until hours later. These tips from the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition should help you prepare safe holiday meals on any timetable.
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Turkey - From Farm To Freezer"How long can a turkey be kept in the freezer?" This question is often heard by the food safety specialists answering USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline. Although the optimum freezing time for quality -- best flavor and texture -- is 1 year, consumers are usually surprised to learn that, from a safety standpoint, frozen turkeys may be kept indefinitely in a freezer.
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USDA’s Meat and Poultry HotlineThis toll-free telephone service helps prevent foodborne illness specifically by answering questions about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products. Dial the nationwide toll-free number, 1-800-535-4555. The toll-free number for the hearing impaired (TTY) is 1-800-256-7072. You may speak with a food safety specialist -- in English or Spanish -- from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays year round. An extensive menu of recorded food safety messages may be heard 24 hours a day. You can also Ask a Question Via Email.
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Food Thermometers and Food Temperature IndicatorsThe USDA wants to help Americans accomplish what they intend to—cook their food safely and cook it to the very highest quality, so that it’s tasty and juicy. The only way you can really know when your food is safely cooked–and not overdone or underdone—is to use a food thermometer.
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Can Your Kitchen Pass the Food Safety Test?Is a spotless kitchen really a "safe" kitchen? Not necessarily, and this 12-question quiz from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, will help you address food safety concerns revolving around all three main kitchen functions: food storage, food handling, and cooking.
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Safety Publications from FSIS
A complete collection of publications, periodicals and presentations on the safe
handling, preparation and storage of all varieties of food compiled by the USDA's
Food Safety and Inspection Service.
