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Safe Food Handling for the Holidays
Did you know that
the turkey you thawed on the kitchen counter, instead
of in the fridge, could now contain bacteria levels
high enough to harm human life, even though you can’t
see, smell, or taste it?
There’s nothing better
than a home cooked meal during the holidays. But, with
all the special effort that goes into making one, everything
will be for naught if the food has not been stored,
prepared, or cooked properly.
Food experts agree that
the safe handling of food should be the top ingredient
in any recipe.
While they may not turn you into a gourmet
chef, following these simple food-handling tips will
keep your family and guests safe from unpleasant, and
sometimes life-threatening, food-born illnesses.
When buying raw meat, keep juices, which
may contain bacteria, from contaminating your hands
or anything in your grocery cart. Plastic bags work
great for this purpose.
Meat should also be picked up at the
end of your grocery shopping and should not be placed
in the same bag as fruits and vegetable.
If you plan on storing your meat for
2 to 3 months in the freezer, make sure you buy some
freezer proof wrap. The wrap that the store uses is
designed to allow air into the meat product and is,
therefore, not good for freezing. This is because beef
products turn from a purple color to a bright red when
exposed to air, making them look fresh, but if left
too long will promote bacteria growth.
Defrosting should be done in the refrigerator
or in a sink full of water, changing the water about
every 45 minutes. A refrigerator allows the meat to
defrost in a controlled atmosphere, slowing down the
growth of bacteria. Never defrost your meat on top of
the counter at room temperature. This can quickly become
a bacteria breeding ground. The growth rate of bacteria
multiplies rapidly between 40F (4C) and 140F (60C).
Once meat has been thawed it must be
either cooked immediately or placed in the refrigerator
and then cooked within 24 hours. Never refreeze meat.
Most meats and poultries only have a safe fridge life
of 2 days, whether stored after thawing or purchased
fresh.
When handling raw meat, wash your hands
before and after. Also, wash counters or plates you
plan to reuse in the preparation process if they have
had raw meat on them, as they will also contain harmful
levels of bacteria.
As humans, we also carry harmful organisms
on our skin which, when spread to food, produce a toxin
that normal cooking cannot destroy. Therefore, it is
essential to wash our hands thoroughly with soap and
water prior to handling food, as well as cover open
cuts.
While beefsteak can be cooked to varying
degrees of redness, turkey must be completely cooked.
At the innermost part of the thigh, the temperature
must reach 180F (82C) for a stuffed turkey and 170F
(77C) unstuffed. Stuffing in the cavity should read
165F (74C). Cooking times vary with the weight of the
bird.
It is important not to keep the thermometer
inside the oven with the bird as it could be affected
by the oven’s hot air and provide a false reading.
Plan your cooking ahead of time. Do
not partially cook the bird, refrigerate, and then complete
the cooking process, as this will produce dangerously
high levels of bacteria.
Cooked food must be refrigerated within
2 hours, which means that you need to plan your meal
so that it can be eaten shortly after being cooked.
Refrigerated leftovers should be eaten
within a couple of days, which includes turkey gravy,
fish, and eggs. Meat casseroles and pies, rice, potatoes,
and cooked noodles will last 2 to 3 days, while cooked
meat, chicken, turkey, turkey stuffing, and many soups
may last up to 4 days before bacteria levels reach critical
points.
Using safe food-handling practices allows
for healthy eating. The rest is a matter of taste.
1howto.com
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