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SIERRA VISTA — Gathering around the table with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving is a festive time. To ensure your guests have a happy and healthy holiday, there are some basic food handling precautions that should be followed when preparing the traditional turkey dinner.
Dangerous foodborne pathogens such as E.coli, salmonella, listeria and staphylococcus are just some of the organisms that can pose serious health risks when food safety is neglected.
“Proper food handling at home goes a long way toward keeping everyone safe from harmful pathogens,” said Evan S. Waters, who is the food service director at Copper Queen Community Hospital.
“When it comes to safe food preparation, the first step is to keep everything clean,” Waters said. Wash all food-contact surfaces — cutting boards, counter tops and utensils — thoroughly after preparing each food item and before moving onto the next item. Waters advises using one cutting board for foods that need to be cooked — such as raw meat, poultry and seafood — and another one for ready-to-eat items, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Frequent and thorough hand washing is vital when working around food.
“Always wash your hands with warm water and soap, and wash them often,” Waters advises. “It’s best to wash for at least 30 seconds, making sure you get around your fingers and nails. I recommend using paper towels when drying your hands.”
Stay away from dish towels that have been in the kitchen for a couple of days, as they trap bacteria that can be transferred to hands and other surfaces. In fact, dish towels and sponges need to be washed in hot soapy water often, to prevent cross contamination.
Preparing the turkey
When it comes to the spread of foodborne pathogens during the holidays, one of the danger foods is turkey, Waters said. The process of thawing turkeys and other frozen meats is where missteps most frequently occur.
When thawing the turkey, place it in a pan and thaw it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, with the temperature set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Never leave the turkey out at room temperature to thaw, as bacteria multiply rapidly.
Planning ahead is key
“For a turkey that’s 20 pounds or more, you need at least three days if you’re thawing it in the refrigerator,” Waters warns. “You don’t want to cook the turkey if it’s frozen or partially frozen because the inside will take forever to cook, while the outside will get burned.”
Once the turkey is thawed out, remove it from the liquid and pat it dry.
For those who don’t have three or more days to thaw their turkeys, Waters offers another method. Place the frozen turkey in a sink and turn on the cold water, leaving the bird under slow running cold water for several hours. Allow about 30 minutes per pound when thawing the turkey with this method.
“The running water keeps harmful bacteria away from the turkey by constantly draining it off the bird,” Waters said. Food thawed under cold running water should be cooked immediately.
When stuffing the turkey, don’t pack the stuffing too tightly. Leftover stuffing that doesn’t fit in the turkey can be cooked separately, in another container.
“Use a food thermometer to check the turkey’s temperature while it’s cooking,” Waters said. “You want to be sure that the turkey reaches 165 degrees. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey breast for an accurate test. Don’t forget to test the temperature of the stuffing, which also should reach 165 degrees.”
Always wash the meat thermometer in between temperature checks. In a 325 degree oven, roast a stuffed turkey for 12 to 15 minutes per pound. As the turkey gets close to being done, continue to monitor the temperature so it doesn’t overcook. It’s important to remove the bird once it reaches 165 degrees, as it can dry out if the temperature goes beyond that.
“Whenever you’re working with raw meat, make sure you use a special board or prepping pan and don’t use it for anything else,” Waters said. “You want to prevent the possibility of cross contamination.” That includes hands, knives and towels. Once any surface has touched raw meat, it needs to be sanitized before it’s used for anything else.
“When you’re talking about foodborne illnesses, time and temperature are the formula for disaster,” Waters said. “Remember, bacteria prefer the same kinds of environments that we do. They like warm moist areas and are capable of multiplying quickly, up to 140 degrees.”
The leftovers
When finished eating the meal, get all leftovers in the refrigerator as quickly as possible. If food items are hot, transfer them into smaller containers and don’t cover them too tightly, which will allow them to cool faster once in the refrigerator.
Perishable food, especially products containing meats and cheeses, need to be kept either hot or cold, at 140 or 40 degrees. It’s best not to leave perishable food out more than two hours.
Custard desserts and those made with dairy products and eggs, which includes pumpkin pie, need to be kept refrigerated.
When washing dishes by hand, it’s possible to make a sanitizing rinse by using cool water and a capful of bleach. “It takes less bleach than people realize,” Waters said. “The bleach to water ratio is one part bleach to 100 parts water.”
Change the water often, as bleach dissipates quickly. Air dry the dishes on a clean surface, as towel drying introduces bacteria to surfaces.
Herald/Review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
To think wrote on Nov 20, 2007 7:25 AM: