Avoid Food Poisoning This Holiday Season

Parties and family get-togethers are great fun until someone gets sick from eating contaminated food. The symptoms aren't pleasant—the usual flu-like symptoms that involve a lot of time in the bathroom. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautions that food illnesses can be severe and even life-threatening for older adults, babies and young children, pregnant women, people with immune system illnesses such as cancer or HIV/AIDS, and those who take medications that can suppress the immune system, such as those prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis.

The FDA recommends a few easy tips—clean, separate, cook, chill—for a food-poisoning free holiday.

• Clean: The first rule is to keep everything clean. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling any food. Wash food-contact surfaces with hot, soapy water. Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under cool water and use a produce brush to remove dirt. Don't rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking; it can spread bacteria to the sink and countertops.
• Separate: Don't give bacteria the opportunity to spread from one food to another. Keep raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from foods that own't be cooked. Use one cutting board for foods that will be cooked, and another for those that will not be cooked. Don't put cooked meat or other food on an unwashed plate that was exposed to raw eggs, meat, poulty, seafood or their juices.
• Cook: Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Don't rely on color for whether or not it's done. Use a food thermometer. Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Don't eat uncooked cookie dough, which might contain raw eggs.
• Refrigerate foods quickly because harmful bacteria grow faster at room temperatures. Set your refrigerator at or below 40 degrees and the freezer at 0 degrees. Don't defrost food at room temperature. Leftovers should be used within a few days. 

Use care when making stuffing. Whether inside or outside the bird, stuffing should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees. Cooking stuffing in a casserole dish is recommended.

By taking a few precautions in the kitchen, you and your guests will have an enjoyable holiday eating and drinking the wonderful bounty of the season.