Keeping holiday food safe

As the holiday season approaches we like to celebrate by entertaining friends and family, throwing parties, and preparing feasts. From the buffet table to the office party, food often takes center stage throughout the holiday season. Johnson County Public Health would like to remind you to be sure to keep your food safe by following these basic food safety steps:

Clean: Wash hands and food-contact surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and counter tops.

Separate: Don't cross-contaminate--don't let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.

Cook: Cook to proper temperatures. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly. Refrigerate foods quickly keeps most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 41? F and the freezer at 0? F, and the accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.

“Following these steps will help make sure we are all doing our part to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in our community”, said James Lacina, Environmental Health Coordinator at Johnson County Public Health. “It's important to highlight these practices during this holiday season; however, these steps should be kept in mind throughout the year to ensure our food remains as safe as possible.”

If you plan on preparing a turkey this Thanksgiving, the USDA offers the following "turkey basics" to help reduce foodborne illness:

Storing the turkey....Avoid cross-contamination

Whether you purchase a fresh or frozen turkey is a matter of personal preference. Buy a fresh turkey no more than two days ahead of the big meal and make sure you have adequate storage space in the refrigerator. If a frozen turkey is the choice, you can safely defrost it in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Check that the original bag is not broken, to prevent raw juices from coming in contact with other foods. Also, the turkey can be thawed in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook immediately. Never defrost on the kitchen counter.

Safe cooking

For safety and doneness, the internal temperature of the turkey must reach 180° F in the thigh. Set the oven temperature to 325° F. Use a meat thermometer to be sure the correct internal temperature is reached and to prevent overcooking. A meat thermometer should be used even in turkeys that have "pop-up" temperature indicators to ensure a safe temperature of 180° F.

To stuff or not to stuff

The safest way to cook the stuffing is separate from the turkey. But whether the stuffing is cooked inside or outside of the turkey, it must reach an internal temperature of 165° F. If the turkey is stuffed, mix ingredients just prior to filling the cavity. Stuff loosely to help ensure safe, even cooking. Remember, the turkey must reach 180° F, while the stuffing must cook to at least 165° F.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Turkey_Basics_Safe_Cooking.pdf