Holiday Safe Cooking

 

For Immediate Release:                                                       

November 24, 2008                                       

 

Be Merry, Not Miserable this Holiday Season!

Cooking Recommendations Help Create Safe, Healthy Feasts for the Holidays

 

LOS ANGELES – This holiday season, Los Angeles County health officials urge people to learn and use safe food handling practices throughout the year to prevent food borne illnesses.

 

“Each year Public Health investigates cases of food borne illness during the holidays that are the result of undercooked food and poor food handling practices,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “These can be avoided by practicing good ‘kitchen hygiene’ and by following safe cooking recommendations.”

 

Typical symptoms of food borne illness (sometimes known as food poisoning) include stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, all of which can start hours or days after consuming contaminated food or drink. For healthy people, most symptoms usually go away after a few hours or days without treatment. But food borne illness can be severe and even life-threatening in older adults, infants and young children, pregnant women, and those with conditions that weaken their immune systems, such as cancer or HIV/AIDS.

 

“The first rule of food safety is to wash your hands thoroughly before, during and after meal preparation. Simple hand washing with soap and water between kitchen tasks can prevent the spread of germs,” said Dr. Fielding. “If you are ill, especially with vomiting or diarrhea, let someone else prepare the holiday meal so you do not spread the illness, and take time to recover.”

 

The following tips can assist cooks during the holiday season:

Raw turkey, chicken, or other meats can contain Campylobacter or Salmonella bacteria that cause diarrhea and other illnesses. These bacteria can multiply rapidly when poultry is taken out of refrigeration and before it is thoroughly cooked. Freezing does not kill these bacteria, but they are destroyed when food is cooked to the proper temperature.

 

To thaw a turkey (by refrigerator, cold water or microwave):

• Place frozen turkey in original wrapper in the refrigerator (40° F or below). Allow approximately 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. After thawing, keep turkey refrigerated for only 1-2 days before cooking.
• A turkey that has been thawed in the refrigerator can be re-frozen. It is not recommended to refreeze a turkey that has been thawed using other methods.
• Place securely wrapped turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Cook immediately after thawing.

 

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• Check to see if the turkey is not too large and fits comfortably in the microwave. Check manufacturer’s instructions for the size of turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing.

 

To cook a turkey:

• When roasting a whole turkey, use a food thermometer to make sure it cooks to 165° F or higher. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, but not against the bone.
• For safety and uniform doneness, cook stuffing separately in a casserole dish.
• For pre-cooked turkey dinners, eat within 2 hours or refrigerate components separately, then reheat to a temperature of at least 165° F.

 

When purchasing a fresh turkey, plan to cook it within 1-2 days after purchase. Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly. Frozen pre-stuffed turkeys are safe because they have been processed under controlled conditions. Do not thaw frozen pre-stuffed turkeys. Cook from the frozen state by following package directions.

 

For all other meats, follow package directions to ensure thorough cooking. Meats should be roasted, barbequed, deep fried or otherwise cooked thoroughly to at least 165° F.

 

Other food handling tips include:

• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating or cutting into them.
• Separate raw meats and poultry from other foods such as fruits and vegetables. Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, knives, and platters for these foods.
• Wash cutting boards, utensils, and platters after preparing each food item and before going on to the next item.
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when re-heating.
• Keep hot foods hot. Use chafing dishes or pans with Sternos or other heating devices, or keep foods in the oven at a temperature to ensure they remain at 135° F or above.
• Keep cold foods cold. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Throw out foods that should have been kept cold, but have been left out for more than two hours.
• “Taste testing” food or drinks to see if they have spoiled is not recommended.

Raw or lightly cooked egg or egg products, used in foods such as salad dressings, cookie or cake batter, sauces such as hollandaise sauce, and beverages such as eggnog, can cause food-borne illnesses. Avoid eating uncooked items containing raw or lightly cooked egg or egg products. Substitute pasteurized eggs when cooking these foods.

For more information on safe cooking, visit the USDA website at: http://www.usda.gov/ or call their toll-free Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854. For the Hearing Impaired: 1-800-256-7072 (TTY). You may speak with a food safety specialist, in English or Spanish, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time during the week year round. An extensive menu of recorded food safety messages may be heard 24 hours a day.

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If you get a food-borne illness, seek medical attention. Please contact the LA County Department of Public Health at 1-888-397-3993 to report your illness.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000 employees and an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.