FOOD SAFETY DURING THE HOLIDAYS
By Alma Varela, FCS Agent
With the Holidays upon us, I am looking forward to all the traditional meals we get to share with our family. It is also a great time to review food safety to stay healthy during this time. Here are a few points to keep in mind when preparing food.
- Handwashing
- “Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before beginning food preparation, after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or touching pets.”
- “Use disposable gloves to handle food if you have a cut or infection. Do not sneeze or cough into food.”
- Surface and Utensils
- “Harmful bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils, and countertops causing “crosscontamination.” Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food — especially ready-to-eat food.”
- “Wash cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item.”
- Kitchen Cleanup
- “Use hot, soapy water and a clean dishcloth (or paper towels) to clean kitchen surfaces and wipe up spills.”
- “Wash dishcloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.”
To learn more about storing food, cooking food safely, serving food safely, and transporting food please visit https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-12/Kitchen-Companion.pdf .
