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For Immediate Release: 12/20/07

State Health Department Offers Food Safety Tips for Holidays

With the holiday season in full swing, Missourians will gather for a wide variety of family meals, office parties, community banquets and other events where food will be a main attraction. While these events are central to holiday celebration, there almost always is some risk for food–borne illness. And, because dozens and even hundreds of people often eat the exact same food, the risk of a food–borne outbreak is even greater. With that in mind, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is offering some simple but effective food safety tips to help protect people from holiday food–borne illness.

"Food is and has always been such an important part of gatherings, whether they be family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, holiday office lunches, or Super Bowl parties with friends. Nothing brings people together like food, but that also is what increases the chance of people getting sick from a food–borne illness," said DHSS director Jane Drummond. "If just one sauce, pie, or dip is bad, but 25 people share it, they all could get seriously ill. That's why we all need to be very careful when preparing, serving and storing foods during the holidays and anytime people share food."

Holiday Food Safety Tips

Thawing:

• Thawing a turkey in the refrigerator can take two days or more, depending on weight. Make sure the turkey is thawed completely. Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 – 5 pounds
• Turkeys and other poultry can be thawed in cold water, but the water should be changed every 30 minutes
• Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound when thawing in cold water.
• Do not thaw poultry in microwave or low–temp oven, this can encourage bacteria growth
• Do not use thawing platter or basin again until properly washed/sanitized

Cooking:

• Cook stuffed turkey, other poultry and ground meats to 165°F taken at center
• For turkeys, internal cooking temperature should be 165 degrees in area between leg and thigh.
• Always use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the turkey or other cooked meats.

Preparation/Sanitation:

• Avoid cross contamination of food preparation surfaces. Always wash hands, utensils, the sink, and anything else that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices with soap and water. Never cut vegetables or other foods on the same cutting board as raw poultry, fish, or ground meats.
• Sanitize preparation surfaces with a solution of one (1) cap bleach to one gallon water
• Sanitize sink after rinsing turkey and other fresh meats and before fixing vegetables with solution of one (1) capful for each gallon of water. Let stand, then drain, running garbage disposal to sanitize while draining.
• Thoroughly wash hands with warm soapy water and rinse well, especially before serving or eating a meal.

Storing:

• Keep hot foods hot (at least 135°F) and cold foods cold (no warmer than 41°F).
• Creamy sauces, gravies and desserts should go into the refrigerator promptly.
• Put turkey and other cooked poultry in the refrigerator no more than two hours after cooking. Do not let high–risk foods sit out to snack on
• For faster cooling of cooked turkey and other poultry, before refrigerating, remove meat from bone and store in shallow pans in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerator temperatures should always be kept at about 40°F
• Freezer should keep food frozen solid

Leftovers:

• Eat leftovers within three to four days or place in freezer
• Cold turkey should be fine to eat if it was cooked and cooled properly
• If cooked leftovers are to be eaten hot, cook to 165°F internal temperature

More food safety information can be found at www.dhss.mo.gov/FoodSafety/, or by contacting your local Phelps–Maries health agency.

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