An accepted way to observe holidays or any party event is to ask acquaintances and family to a buffet or to dinner. However, this type of meal where foods are un-refrigerated for long periods leaves the door wide open for unwelcome guests—bacteria that can cause food borne sickness.
Happy times for giving and sharing should not include sharing food that will cause illness. Here are some guidelines from the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline to assist in bacteria free holiday meals.
Good Food Handling
Be sure to wash your hands prior to and after touching food. As well, keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean. At all times serve food on clean plates, don’t use the plate that was the raw meat and poultry was on. If you do, bacteria from the raw meat juice can cross-contaminate the food being served.
Cooking Thoroughly
If you are preparing foods before the party, be sure to cook foods carefully to a safe minimum internal temperature for bacteria free holiday meals.
Happy times for giving and sharing should not include sharing food that will cause illness. Here are some guidelines from the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline to assist in bacteria free holiday meals.
Good Food Handling
Be sure to wash your hands prior to and after touching food. As well, keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean. At all times serve food on clean plates, don’t use the plate that was the raw meat and poultry was on. If you do, bacteria from the raw meat juice can cross-contaminate the food being served.
Cooking Thoroughly
If you are preparing foods before the party, be sure to cook foods carefully to a safe minimum internal temperature for bacteria free holiday meals.
- Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops should be cooked to 145 degrees F.
- All cuts of pork should be cooked to 160 degrees F.
- Ground beef, veal and lamb should be cooked 160 degrees F.
- All poultry should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F.
Use The Right Containers For Bacteria Free Holiday Meals
Separate cooked foods into shallow containers to put in the refrigerator or freezer until you serve them. This helps with rapid, even cooling. Heat hot foods to a minimum of 165 degrees F before serving. Put food on several small platters instead of one large platter. Keep other foods warming in the oven (set at 200 to 250 degrees F) or cold in the refrigerator until time to serve. This way food can be kept at a safe temperature for a greater period of time. Use a new platter instead of adding fresh food to one that already had food in it. Many people have been getting food from the dish and
it has also been at room temperature for a time.Two-Hour Food Rule
Don’t let foods be at room temperature for more than two hours. Pay attention to how long food has been sitting on the table and throw away anything that’s been out two hours or more.
The Hot and Cold of Bacteria Free Holiday Meals
Hot foods need to be kept at 140 degrees F or warmer. You can keep these foods hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays on the serving area. Foods that are served cold should be kept at 40 degrees F or colder. You can do this by putting dishes in bowls of ice or using small serving trays and replacing them.
Food borne Bacteria That Can Sabotage Bacteria Free Holiday Meals
Bacteria can be everywhere but some really like to hang around parties. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes cling to people's hands and steam tables. These are different from microorganisms that cause food to spoil; these harmful or pathogenic bacteria are odorless and tasteless. Preventing them requires safe food handling.
If after you have taken all these precautions and illness still occurs, make sure to contact a health professional and describe the symptoms. Have a safe and happy holiday and bacteria free holiday meals.
Don’t let foods be at room temperature for more than two hours. Pay attention to how long food has been sitting on the table and throw away anything that’s been out two hours or more.
The Hot and Cold of Bacteria Free Holiday Meals
Hot foods need to be kept at 140 degrees F or warmer. You can keep these foods hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays on the serving area. Foods that are served cold should be kept at 40 degrees F or colder. You can do this by putting dishes in bowls of ice or using small serving trays and replacing them.
Food borne Bacteria That Can Sabotage Bacteria Free Holiday Meals
Bacteria can be everywhere but some really like to hang around parties. Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes cling to people's hands and steam tables. These are different from microorganisms that cause food to spoil; these harmful or pathogenic bacteria are odorless and tasteless. Preventing them requires safe food handling.
If after you have taken all these precautions and illness still occurs, make sure to contact a health professional and describe the symptoms. Have a safe and happy holiday and bacteria free holiday meals.
