Safety Comes First when Preparing Holiday Meals

Great food is an eagerly anticipated ingredient of holiday celebrations. When you're planning a spectacular menu and inviting friends and relatives to partake, you want to be certain that the food is safe as well as delicious.

Just keep in mind the three P's -- processing, packaging and preparation. With ninety percent of American homes feasting on turkey for Thanksgiving (and 50 percent doing it again at Christmas), there is a natural desire to avoid harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E coli.

Safety actually begins with processing. The USDA requires a comprehensive poultry inspection system, which relies heavily on chlorine to assure a safe and clean processing environment. In fact, all poultry processing equipment must be cleaned with chlorine and all birds must receive a disinfecting bath before they may appear on your holiday table.

Plastic is the packaging of choice for the poultry industry, primarily because it keeps the product fresh and safe. You can do your part to keep it safe by freezing uncooked birds in a plastic bag and storing poultry leftovers in tightly sealed plastic containers.

Even with the safest processing and packaging, poultry and other foods can be exposed to bacteria in your own home. "If consumers prepare and handle their food safely, 85 percent of all foodborne illness can be avoided," notes Sylvia Rowe, president of the International Food Information Council.

Here are some tips on keeping food safe:

The USDA recommends cooking poultry until the meat reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and don't let it sit at room temperature for more than an hour or two. If your guests are going to be late, carve the bird, refrigerate it and reheat it when they arrive. Be sure to remove the stuffing and refrigerate it separately. (Note: Health care experts do recommend cooking stuffing in a pot rather than in the bird.)
Always wash raw fruit and vegetables thoroughly before serving. Disinfect all countertops, cutting surfaces, sponges, dish rags and utensils with a disinfecting soap or chlorine bleach solution (3/4 cup of chlorine bleach per gallon of water). Do not use cooking utensils for serving unless they have been cleaned in between.
Make sure the cook and all his/her helpers wash their hands well before and after handling food, infants or animals.

Bon Appetit!(ARA)

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Courtesy of Article Resource Association, www.aracopy.com

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