It's now four days after Thanksgiving, and that means that all leftovers from that holiday dinner must be discarded or frozen today, according to the USDA. Of course, this is assuming that you refrigerated that food promptly - within two hours of it coming out of the fridge or oven. Between the temperature range of 40°F to 140°F, bacteria numbers can double in foods every 20 minutes. And those pathogens can make toxins that aren't destroyed by heat. So even if you thoroughly reheat leftovers to 165°F, as you should every time, you may still get sick. That's why we stress prompt refrigeration of perishable foods, including meats, egg dishes, seafood, poultry, casseroles, and cooked vegetables. To freeze foods, store them in freezer bags or other containers in relatively small … [Read more...]
Unsafe Ways to Prepare Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Did you know that there are unsafe ways to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey? While we have covered prepping and cooking the turkey safely, including proper thawing and roasting to the correct temperature, there are other physical parts to the preparation to think about. First of all, the method you use for cooking your turkey is important. You can roast the turkey, grill it, or deep fry it. Roasting is the most common method, and it is the safest, both in terms of food safety and physical safety. Grilling is the next safest, as long as you keep an eye on the bird, understand the risks of grilling such as fire and burns, and use a food thermometer. Just never use a grill in a covered area, not even a breezeway or the garbage because you risk carbon monoxide poisoning. But deep … [Read more...]
Learn How to Safely Prepare a Turkey For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is Thursday! Most people will be having turkey and stuffing. Read on to learn how to safely prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. While this task isn't difficult, there are some rules you should follow to avoid food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tips. First, plan ahead. If you buy a frozen turkey it needs time to thaw - in the refrigerator. Never thaw a turkey on the counter or you are inviting trouble. Allow 24 hours of thawing for every four to five pounds of bird. If you have a big turkey, it may be too late at this point. In that case, you still have options. You can thaw the turkey in cold water, but you have to keep an eye on it. Make sure the turkey is in a leakproof bag before you put it in the sink. Add cold water … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips From the USDA
Thanksgiving food safety tips from the USDA will help you keep your family and friends safe as you celebrate the holiday this year. Follow the basic four steps to food safety - clean, separate, cook, and chill. But there are other tips you need to keep in mind. Handwashing is the first step to avoiding any foodborne illness. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before you start preparing food, after using the bathroom, and before serving food and eating. Also wash your hands after you handle raw meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs. Avoid cross-contamination by cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces that have touched raw turkey and its juices. That includes counters, sinks, stoves, tabletops, utensils, and plates. Also use separate cutting boards for meat … [Read more...]
Do You Know How to Use a Food Thermometer?
With the holidays approaching, it's important to keep food safety in mind. One of the best ways to ensure that the food you make and serve is safe to eat it to use a food thermometer. But do you know how to use a food thermometer correctly? First, you should know that there are several types of food thermometers. The most inexpensive and common is a dial thermometer. This has a dial on a stem that is attached to a probe. You can find these thermometers are most grocery stores. This thermometer is not always the most accurate, but it will give you a general reading. The second type is an oven-proof thermometer that you use while the food is cooking. A probe goes into the meat roast or whole chicken or turkey, then a cord extends outside the oven to the dial that shows … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips For a Safe Holiday
It's almost Halloween! These Halloween food safety tips from Foodsafety.gov will help you make sure that your holiday celebrations are healthy as well as fun. Halloween food safety begins before trick-or-treating. Make sure that your kids have a good meal before they start out so they aren't tempted to snack from their goodies before you have had a chance to check them for safety. Tell your kids to wait until they get home before they eat any candy or treats. Tell your kids not to accept, and certainly not to eat, any homemade treats. Commercially wrapped candy and treats are the only safe choices. At home, check the treats for any signs of tampering. They may include an unusual appearance, discoloration, pinholes, or tears in the wrappers. Throw away anything that doesn't … [Read more...]
Penn State Extension Offers Tailgating Food Safety Tips
It's football season! That means fans are grilling out and picnicking at stadiums. But do you know how to serve safe food? Penn State Extension is offering tailgating food safety tips to keep you and your friends safe. You can download a free brochure of these tips by Catherine Cutter, professor of food science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension assistant director for food safety and qualify programs. Safety starts when preparing for your tailgating session. First, if you are going to grill meat, make sure it is properly defrosted. Never defrost meat on the counter or outside. Defrost it in the fridge, and allow enough time to make sure it's thawed. Prepare a handwashing station to take to the stadium. Set up a five gallon water container with a … [Read more...]
FightBac Food Safety Tips For Hurricane Season
FightBac food safety tips for hurricane season have been released as Hurricane Ian approaches the southeastern United States, more specifically the west coast of Florida. Hurricanes can cause floods and power outages that can make food unsafe to eat and water unsafe to drink. These tips will help protect your family and pets from foodborne illness during and after a hurricane and other storms. It's important to prepare before the storm if you can. After you have finished securing your home and property, if you are riding out the storm, purchase and store food and water for your household in case the food supply is disrupted. Every person and pet should have at least one gallon of fresh potable water every day. For food, purchase non-perishable foods that have a long shelf life. … [Read more...]
Please Don’t Cook Your Chicken In NyQuil!
Another potentially dangerous and definitely irresponsible TikTok video has gone viral. This one gives details on how to cook chicken in NyQuil, an over-the-counter cold medicine. The FDA has condemned this practice, and not just because it's disgusting. This practice can be dangerous. The FDA says that any social media challenges involving medicines are dangerous because they do not use these products in the manner for which they are intended. Many of these TikTok "challenges" show people misusing nonprescription, or over the counter, medications and then encouraging viewers to do the same. The challenge encouraging people to cook chicken in NyQuil, which contains the drugs acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and doxylamine, is unsafe because cooking that product will make all of … [Read more...]
Learn How Cross-Contamination Can Make You Sick
September is Food Safety Education Month. And it's a good time to learn about how to stay safe in the kitchen. First up, learn how cross-contamination can make you sick and how to avoid it with tips from FoodSsfety.gov. Cross-contamination occurs when raw foods such as meats, poultry, seafood, and shell eggs, or juices or drips from those products, come into contact with foods that are eaten uncooked, with kitchen surfaces, with your hands, and with utensils and plates. Other surfaces that can be contaminated include cutting boards, cupboard door handles and pulls, the kitchen faucet, and the kitchen sink. Bacteria that can cross-contaminate foods include E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria monocytogenes. And they can all make you … [Read more...]
