Why risk your loved one's wellness this season when you can do something about it? Clean, separate, cook and chill; these are just some of the food safety basics that you'll need to consider as you prepare for the Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends this year.
Clean. Throughout the cooking process, remember to always wash your hands with running water and soap for at least 20 seconds, especially before touching or coming into contact with food and after handling raw meat and poultry products. This has always been one of the simplest, easiest and most effective ways to prevent bacteria and germs from spreading. And, after preparing each food, wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops first before you proceed on the next item.
Remember to wash vegetables and fruits so that the dirt could be washed off too, but not for the turkey. According to health experts, washing raw meat and poultry products speeds up the spread of bacteria because doing so can actually splash onto the sink and countertop, and you don't want that to happen.
Separate. As per Food Safety News, always take note that you need to separate a raw turkey from those readily consumable foods. When preparing and serving the food, also use a separate cutting boards, plates and utensils so that you can avoid cross-contamination.
Now, you are ready to cook. Remember that cooked food is only considered safe when it has been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. And in order to make sure that it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F, use a meat thermometer for the turkey.
Lastly, chill. In regards to leftovers, you can still refrigerate it within two hours to slow down bacteria's growth. For leftovers, it's still safe to consume them for three to four days and for a longer storage, what you can do is to keep it frozen during that time.
