The holidays are a time for family and food, but how safe are your food handling practices? With a little preparation, your holidays can be filled with fellowship and not food borne illness.
According to the CDC, about 1 in 6 Americans, or 48 million people, get sick from foodborne illnesses each year. This is equivalent to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. These numbers are estimates because usually if you get “food poisoning” you deal with it at home and never see a doctor.
“Concerns about foodborne illness during the holidays arise because people often prepare large quantities of food, including potentially risky items like raw poultry, which can easily become contaminated if not handled properly, and leave food out at room temperature for extended periods due to large gatherings, leading to rapid bacterial growth if not refrigerated promptly,” said Kaycee Captain (Eastern Shawnee), Tribal enterprise specialist and lead produce food safety trainer.
This can result in food poisoning if the food is not cooked thoroughly or stored correctly.
Certain legends exist around the holidays, whether it’s pilgrims or Santa. There are also myths about food safety during the holidays. To start, what about that gushy turkey?
“There have been a host of videos and blog posts on the internet espousing the value of washing raw turkey before cooking,” Captain said. “It seems to make logical sense, right? When we get bacteria on our hands or a surface, we wash it off with soap and hot water. We should be able to do the same with our turkey and salmonella. Wrong!”
It’s virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird, she added.
“Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils,” Captain said.
There are several easy things to keep family and guests safe from food-borne illnesses. According to Captain:
- Use separate utensils for meats and sides.
- Wash your hands thoroughly every time you go from one type of food to another, especially raw meat to uncooked veggies.
- Clean your cutting surfaces after every use.
“Does it seem tedious? Yes. But, you know what else is tedious? Spending Black Friday sick,” Captain said.
Prep work is not the only aspect of holiday cooking to worry about; so is proper cooking. It is recommended that turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
“It’s important to take temperature readings at different points on the bird, including the thickest part of the breast,” Captain said.
“Even if your turkey has a pop-out timer, it is still vital that you test the temperature with a meat thermometer.”
Other best practices include taking the turkey out of the oven prior to taking a temperature reading.
“Also, don’t forget about those sides too! They need to be brought up to the proper temperature to kill any bacteria that may have contaminated the food,” she said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (USDA-FSIS) Safe Minimum Temperature Chart is useful for determining adequate cooking temperatures by product.
Protecting guests from food-borne illnesses does not end once the food has been prepped and cooked. It is also important to keep best practices in mind for leaving out food and proper storage.
““If you are going to have seconds before two hours is up, then leave it out, but cover it to avoid pests or your beloved family cat or dog from contaminating it,” Captain said. “If you are going to be longer than 2 hours or it is over 90°F in the house, then you need to store it in the refrigerator.”
The holidays – and every day – are great opportunities to connect and share good food. The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative hopes these tips and best practices help ensure all have a food-safe holiday season.
For more information about food safety, visit nativefoodsafety.com.