Are you in charge of the holiday feast? Follow these tips for food safety

Ready or not, the holidays are here. It’s a time when many Americans accustomed to simple meal preparation find themselves responsible for safely serving multi-dish feasts.

This is no easy task. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outbreaks of certain types of food poisoning increase in November and December. CDC investigators have found that contaminated turkey, undercooked stuffing and germ-laden gravy from holiday buffets have all caused past illnesses and even deaths.

Donald Schaffner, a food science expert at Rutgers University, said it can sometimes be difficult for cooks to prepare large meals in a way that avoids common hazards that can make people sick.

“Cooking larger quantities of food takes longer to cook. The food-safety podcast “Risky or Not?”

Together with podcast co-host Benjamin Chapman, a food scientist at North Carolina State University, Schaffner outlined common ways to keep holiday meals festive and safe. prepare the turkey

According to turkey maker Butterball, nearly 90% of American hosts are planning to serve turkey on Thanksgiving this year.

But raw turkey can harbor disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella, Campylobacter and other germs. It must be handled safely to prevent those insects from contaminating refrigerator surfaces, sinks, and kitchen counters.

Frozen bird must be thawed first. There are several accepted methods, Schaffner said, including the refrigerator, microwave or cold running water.

“All of these methods pose risks,” he cautioned.

According to the Department of Agriculture, frozen turkeys need about 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds of weight. If you use the microwave or cold water method, the bird should be cooked immediately. For details on safe turkey handling, see the thawing and cooking calculator created by the USDA.

And don’t wash the turkey. Washing it in the sink is a bad idea, Chapman said, although many cooks still insist on this practice, often out of habit.

“Anything that hits that surface and produces a spray will basically spread contamination around your kitchen,” he said.

Instead, pat the turkeys dry with a paper towel and toss them, or use a kitchen towel and disinfect it in the laundry. What about roasting?

The turkey must reach a cooked temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. The best way to tell if it’s cooked is to use a tip-sensitive digital thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh, without touching the bone.

Don’t trust the plastic pop-up thermometers stuck into some commercial turkeys. Chapman’s previous research shows that those buttons may actually activate before the bird is finished.

Also, don’t rely on signs such as golden-brown skin, flesh no longer pink or whether the juice is clear to determine doneness.

“None of these are great indicators of temperature,” Chapman said. Side dishes and leftovers

How you handle the rest of the meal—mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans or yams—is as important as the main dish. It’s important to avoid the so-called danger zone of temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where bacteria can easily grow.

The key, Schaffner said, is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold — and to refrigerate everything quickly.

“The recommendation is that you refrigerate leftovers within two hours of taking them off the stove,” he said.

Be sure to place denser foods like chopped turkey, baked sweet potatoes or gravy in shallow containers to help them cool faster. Recent research by Schaffner has shown that foods refrigerated in containers at a depth of more than 2 inches have little risk of dangerous germs growing. keep it clean

One major way to avoid food poisoning is through careful cleaning in the kitchen.

Wash your hands before preparing food and after touching raw poultry. Use separate cutting boards, knives and other utensils when handling raw meat and fresh foods such as vegetables and salads.

Pay attention to any surfaces that may be contaminated. It is important to clean first with soap and water and then with disinfectant – this is a two-step process.

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