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Food Safety
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Resources for
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Local Health Agency
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Food Worker & Industry
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Environmental Health, Safety, and Toxicology
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Each year,
hundreds of people in Washington become ill and some are
hospitalized because food they ate at a holiday meal was
handled or prepared in an unsafe way. Follow these food
safety tips to protect you and your family. Don't serve up a
foodborne illness this holiday.
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Buying and
Preparing
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Keep raw meats separate from
other foods, especially fruit and vegetables in your shopping
cart and grocery bags. Raw meats that are wrapped for display
often leak. Put meat into a plastic bag to prevent drips that
may contaminate other food.
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Always
wash hands before you begin
to prepare food and after handling raw meats. Use warm water,
soap and paper towels. Remember that hands that look clean may
be contaminated with millions of germs. Inadequate hand washing
is a leading cause of foodborne disease today!
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Keep your kitchen and utensils clean.
Wash cutting boards, knives and countertops that come into
contact with raw meat.
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Do not re-use wash cloths after
wiping countertops, especially after cleaning up raw meat juice.
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Thaw meat (turkey) in the refrigerator.
Frozen meat is easy to undercook.
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Cook food to safe temperatures. Use a food
thermometer to check.
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Turkey, chicken, and
poultry (including stuffing, pieces, and ground) - minimum
of 165 degrees F.
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Pork - minimum of
160 degrees F.
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Ground beef or
hamburger dishes - minimum of 160 degrees F.
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All other meat
products - minimum of 145 degrees F.
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Refrigerate foods right away.
Do not leave food on the counter to "cool down." Cut or divide
solid food (turkey) into small pieces and cool in containers
without lids in the refrigerator. Wait until the food is cold,
below 45 degrees F before you put on the lid.
Serving
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Refrigerate, reheat, or throw away
perishable food after 2 hours at room temperature.
Keep track.
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Think small. Arrange and serve food on several small plates
instead of one large one. Keep the rest of the food either hot
or cold.
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Keep hot foods hot - above 140
degrees F. Use warming trays or pots, if possible.
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Keep cold foods cold - below 41
degrees F. Nest dishes in bowls of ice, if possible.
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Don't serve raw eggs mixed into
drinks or food.
Storing
Related fact sheets:
Food Safety Tips and
Barbecue and Picnic Food Safety
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