While preparing food and making your favorite dish in the kitchen is fun and enjoyable, it is important to follow some basic safety rules. During the holiday season, a lot of time is spent in the kitchen as meals need to be prepared for Christmas parties and gatherings. So, follow these tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from food poisoning.
Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often
- Germs that cause food poisoning can spread around your kitchen.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap while preparing food and before eating.
- Always wash hands after handling uncooked meat, chicken, and other poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs.
- Wash utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables with water before using them.
Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate
- Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate.
- Always keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and juices away from other foods.
- Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed containers or packages so the juices don’t leak onto other foods.
- Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread, and other foods that won’t be cooked.
- Do not wash raw meat, poultry, or eggs as it can spread germs
Cook to the right temperature
- The only way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. You can’t tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture (except for seafood).
- Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
- Whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork, including fresh ham: 145°F (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
- Fish with fins: 145°F or cook until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
- Ground meats, such as beef and pork: 160°F
- All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey: 165°F
- Leftovers and casseroles: 165°F
- Microwave food thoroughly
- Know your microwave’s wattage. Check inside the door, owner’s manual, or manufacturer’s website. If your microwave is high wattage (800 watts or more), use the minimum cooking time recommended. If it is low wattage (300–500 watts), use the maximum cooking time recommended.
- When reheating, use a food thermometer to make sure that microwaved food reaches 165°F.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly
Bacteria can multiply rapidly in temperatures between 40°F and 140°F.
- Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and your freezer at 0°
- Package warm or hot food into several clean, shallow containers and then refrigerate
- Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours.
- If the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like a hot car or picnic, refrigerate it within 1 hour.
- Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave.
Follow these steps to enjoy a safe and happy winter with the family and friends.
Sources:
houseofknives.com.au, Kitchen Safety Rules - The Basics & Handling Knives
cdc.gov, Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill
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