Food Safety Tips

Food safety is always important, but never so much as when cooking for a crowd. Here are some tips that will help keep your holiday gathering food-safe and fun.

Keep it clean: Wash your hands frequently while preparing foods, and keep countertops, cuttings boards, knives, bowls and other utensils clean and dry when not in use. Besides, it's easier to clean as you go than to have a huge clean-up at the end of the night.

Thaw foods in the refrigerator: Don't put frozen foods on the counter to thaw, and never thaw a turkey in the garage, in the trunk of a car, or on the back porch.

Keep one cutting board exclusively cut raw meat on: Whether it's wood, acrylic, plastic, stone or other material, never use the same cutting board used to cut up raw meat to chop vegetables, fruit, cooked meats or breads. Thoroughly clean after use with soap and water.

Use a separate spoon to taste from: Don't taste from the same spoon used to stir the pot. And, don't re-dip a used spoon to resample. Just spoon a sample into a small bowl or saucer and taste from that.

Always put cooked meat on a clean platter: Don't re-use a platter or plate that has held raw meat unless it has been thoroughly cleaned.

Keep hot foods hot (above 140° F.) and cold foods cold (below 40° F.).

Put leftover away quickly: Foods can stay out for serving and eating about two hours. After that time, place leftovers in shallow bowls, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Reheat leftovers to 165° F. at the thickest part: Use a thermometer to check.

Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator 2-3 days: Freeze if longer storage is required.

For more information: Check the Meat and Poultry Hotline, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 800-535-4555 www.fsis.usda.gov , The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Information Hotline: 888-SAFE-FOOD www.cfsan.fda.gov, or FightBac! www.fightbac.org.