Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips | The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures - The Nibble Webzine Of Food AdventuresThanksgiving Food Safety Tips | The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures
Even if you’ve never had a problem before, check out these food safety tips prior to Turkey Day. They’re courtesy of The Learning Center at State Farm.
1. Keep everything clean.
Scrub your hands with soap under warm water for 20 seconds before touching food. Do the same after handling food, especially raw meat or poultry, to avoid cross-contamination.
Clean the counters, cutting boards, dishes and silverware with hot water and soap before and after preparing each food item.
Wash fruits and vegetables to remove the surface dirt, but do not rinse raw meat or poultry. Rinsing them enables bacteria to spread.
2. Heat foods to the proper temperature.
Color is never a reliable indicator of safely cooked food. Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature,typically 165°F.
Keep hot foods at 140°F or warmer with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays.
Keep cold foods at 40°F or colder. Nest serving dishes in bowls of ice and store moist desserts, such as pumpkin pie and cakes with whipped frosting, in the refrigerator until serving.
Never let food sit out at room temperature for more than two hours.
4. Store leftovers safely.
Divide leftovers into shallow containers, which allow rapid cooling, before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
Never defrost food at room temperature. It enables bacteria to multiply.
Use a microwave or oven to reheat foods to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Eat refrigerated leftover food within three to four days.
