• Originally published November 16, 2009 at midnight, updated November 17, 2009 at 3:10 p.m.

Family, friends, food and fun are what the holidays and celebrations offer. Thanksgiving, one of America's great past-times, is woven with celebrations of family traditions, favorite foods and yummy desserts.

Along with the mouthwatering turkey, gravy and dressing, your family does not deserve a dose of bacteria and a food-borne illness after eating mishandled food.

Food safety and health experts estimate that 33 million cases of food-borne illnesses occur in the United States each year. The severity of the food-borne illness depends on how much of the food was eaten and the person's susceptibility to the bacteria consumed. Bacteria are the cause of most cases of food borne illnesses.

So what is a cook to do? Preparing a meal can be overwhelming, and to be a food scientist, too! It makes us want to throw in the towel. To ease your fears, keep these basic food safety rules in mind:

Be a hand-washing zealot. Keep your hand-washing sink supplied with soap and paper towels. Insist that anyone who helps in the kitchen washes his or her hands.

Keep work surfaces and utensils clean. Use a disinfectant cleaner to clean bacteria on work surfaces, cutting boards, knives and equipment.

Avoid cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria on one food spreads to another. Common mistakes include using the same cutting board or knife to prepare meats and then using the same for fruits or vegetables. It is also very tempting to be a taster and stirrer using the same spoon.

Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Bacteria thrive at room temperature. Put the thawing turkey in a plastic bag or platter to collect any juices that may leak out of the packaging. Allow about five hours per pound of turkey when thawing in the refrigerator.

Keep out of the danger zone. Bacteria in foods grow rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. A common mistake is to leave cooked food at room temperature too long. It is tempting to leave out food for cooling or snacking on later, but storing foods below 40 degrees is smart and safe. Food should not be left out at room temperature longer than two hours.

Cook the turkey thoroughly. Cook turkey until it is no longer pink inside, juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Measure the temperature using a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the breast. It is recommended to cook the stuffing outside of the bird.

When in doubt, throw it out. If you are not sure about food's safety, toss it out. Food may look, taste and smell OK, even though it is not. Food safety must be practiced every step of the way.

Festive times for giving and sharing should be left for family and friends - not bacteria. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Susan Sizemore is a registered and licensed dietititan. Send questions or comments to dietitians@vicad.com.

• Print
• •
• Share
  • Share this item

    Send this to a friend

    Share on FaceBook

  • Grab the link

    Copy and paste the link:

  • Blog about it

    Blog about this page.

  • Close
• •
• Post a Comment
• •
• Favorite
• •
• Report error
  • Thank you for your submission.
    Error report or correction

    Contact name (optional) Contact phone/e-mail (optional)  

    
  • Close
• •