Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health is reminding people to follow safe food practices this holiday season. Whether you're baking goodies for friends or cooking entrées for family, Dr. David Williams suggests these four safe food-handling tips:
Clean your hands, surfaces and equipment thoroughly with warm soapy water. Bacteria can get onto hands, cutting boards, knives, dishcloths, countertops and the food itself.
Separate meat, poultry and fish from ready-to-eat foods during storage and preparation to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Cook your food thoroughly, especially meat and poultry, such as turkey.
Chill your foods and leftovers to four degrees Celsius or lower within two hours of purchase or preparation, especially for high-risk foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Other ways to be food safe when entertaining during the holidays include:
If preparing food for a party, never defrost food on the kitchen counter before cooking. Thaw meat safely in the fridge or under cold running water to avoid the growth of bacteria that can make you sick.
If hosting buffet style, use warming units or ice trays if the food will be out longer than two hours.
If taking food to a party, keep hot foods at 60 degrees Celsius or warmer, and cold foods at four degrees Celsius or colder.
Read and follow the cooking instructions when cooking fresh or frozen breaded chicken. These products often looked cooked when they're really not.
The majority of food poisoning cases occur at home and go unreported. If you experience signs or symptoms of food poisoning contact your doctor.
Source: Ontario.ca