An inviting aroma from your kitchen can signal the start of a new holiday season. However, as you get more to do and less time to shop, it is important to ensure food safety, particularly during cooking, storage, and cleanup.
Food-borne bacteria can be poisoned by poor food preparation. Cross-contamination is one of the most deadly, but common, routes to food poisoning.
Here are some practical ways to prevent cross-contamination in the preparation of this popular holiday dish. These tips come from the Consumer Specialty Products Association.
* Thoroughly disinfect surfaces. Before you use them to make fresh food like salads or fruit desserts, clean any kitchen surfaces or utensils that came in contact with raw foods. When preparing multiple dishes, it is best to use separate sets of tools, especially if you are handling uncooked food.
* Wash your hands. It is an obvious, but most often forgotten step. After handling raw foods, wash your hands with warm water.
* If your holidays won’t be the same without making grandma’s homemade eggnog, as well as other traditional favorites that use raw eggs, check with the Department of Agriculture for guidelines on how to buy, cook and store eggs safely.
* Prevent spoilage by refrigerating leftover foods. Remember to refrigerate dairy products, salad dressings, and any other food items that were served as part of a meal. Refrigerate these items immediately if there are large quantities.
* When finished in the kitchen, clean all surfaces, utensils and, most importantly, the kitchen sponge. Use disinfectant to thoroughly wet sponges and cleaning material. Rinse under warm running water.
Food poisoning can cause serious complications for children, seniors, and other people with weak immune systems. It can even kill. Multitasking can be a normal part of holiday rush. However, it is important to keep your attention on safety and food safety for you and your family.
Visit this site for more information www.aboutgerms.comOder www.stopgerms.org.
