Avoiding Food-Born Illness During the Holidays and Throughout the Year
Here’s hoping that your Christmas was an enjoyable one. Most people look forward to the holidays–to cooking and having guests over and eating favorite foods. But food-born illness, also known as food poisoning, can bring the festivities to a grinding halt.
Food poisoning symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping or pain, headache, fever and diarrhea. Diarrhea may be the first symptom and can occur 2 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food.
The bug that causes illness can be due to bacteria, a parasite or a virus.
Here are some dos and don’ts on how to avoid cross-contamination and to ensure that you and others will not pick up a bug during this time.
- Do use proper hand washing technique by washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash your hands before preparing food, after using the bathroom, after touching pets and after handling raw meats, poultry and fish. And also after touching your face, eyes, nose or coughing into your hands.
Do thaw food in the refrigerator. Thawing food at room temperature is unwise: while meat is still thawing on the inside, the outside has thawed and is growing bacteria.
Do refrigerate food within two hours of their being left out since bacteria will start to grow. If food has been sitting out for more than 2 hours, throw it away.
Do keep food out of the “danger zone”. Germs grow rapidly in temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If serving hot food, keep it at a temperature above 140 degrees. When reheated, food should reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees or when it’s bubbling or steaming. Cold food should be kept at 40 degrees or below. Check your refrigerator’s thermometer.
Do refrigerate oils that contain herbs or garlic.
Do use separate knives to cut fruits and vegetables and raw meat. If the same knife is used without washing it in hot soapy water, cross-contamination occurs. Using two cutting boards help in preventing cross-contamination.
Don’t refrigerate leftover canned food in the can. Transfer food into a dish with an airtight lid or toss out the can with the food in it. Oxidation occurs between the air and the can. You don’t want to eat leftovers that have been involved with this harmful chemical process.
Don’t put cooked meat on the same platter that held the raw meat. If the same utensils and platter are used when the meat was raw, using these again without washing them properly will reintroduce bacteria.
Do marinate foods in an appropriate dish in the refrigerator and not on the counter. Make extra marinade to brush on foods, if desired, so that the same marinade that the raw meat had been sitting in for hours is not used.
Do store meat in the bottom of the refrigerator to keep it and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods. This will help in preventing cross-contamination.
Don’t use the same kitchen towel to wipe counters, wipe up spills, wipe hands and dry dishes too. Use certain towels for certain purposes and change them daily. Use paper towels often. Let dishes air dry.
Do throw out leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for more than 3 or 4 days.
Do wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating them. Also wash pagkaged produce that’s labeled “triple-washed”.
Do store hot food leftovers in shallow containers for quicker cooling. Foods cooled quickly slow bacterial growth.
Don’t soak dishes in water. Bacteria will start to grow. Wash dishes right away or use the dishwasher.
Do use frozen gel packs in your lunch to keep your lunch chilled if not refrigerated.
Do bring in the New Year with a bang, not a bug.
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