Food Safety for Holiday Gatherings
"· Plan ahead. Make sure the location meets your needs:
o Be sure you have enough oven, stovetop, refrigerator, and work space.
o Find out if there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning.
· Store and prepare food safely:
o Refrigerate or freeze perishable food within 2 hours of shopping or preparing.
o Find separate preparation areas in the work space for raw and cooked food.
o Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that held raw food.
o Wash hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils and work surfaces frequently with hot, soapy water.
· Cook food to safe internal temperatures:
o Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other food. Check temperature in several places to be sure the food is safely cooked.
o Never partially cook food for finishing later, because you increase the risk of bacterial growth.
· Transport food safely – Keep hot food HOT, and cold food COLD:
o Keep cold food at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Place in a cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels.
o Keep hot food at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.
· Need to reheat? Food must be hot and steamy for serving. Just “warmed up” is not good enough:
o Use the stove, oven or microwave to reheat food to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a boil.
· Keep food out of the “danger zone” (40 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit):
o Keep hot food hot – at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, pre-heated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.
o Keep cold food cold – at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Place food in containers on ice.
· When in doubt, throw it out!
o Discard food left at room temperatures for more than 2 hours.
o Place leftovers in shallow containers. Refrigerate or freeze immediately."
Previously on the DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:
For information about your legal rights, please click here or call the law firm of Regan Zambri & Long, PLLC at 202-463-3030.
