How to Keep Holiday Food Safe

Posted by Sonya Procenko

Did you know there are approximately 11 to 13 million cases of foodborne illness in Canada every year? I still remember that nasty case of food poisoning from sushi gone bad.

This holiday season, you can take simple steps to ensure food safety. "It's always important to keep foods out of the danger zone, which is between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F) to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria," advises the Canadian Food Inspection Safety. "To do this, just keep hot foods hot, at least 60°C (140°F) and keep cold foods cold at 4°C (40°F) or lower."

The agency recommends holiday food safety tips including:

Preparing and serving holiday buffets

* "Do not let foods linger during preparation, cook them thoroughly and serve them promptly. Keep hot foods hot with warming trays, chafing dishes or crock pots. Keep cold foods cold by placing serving dishes on crushed ice."
* "Remember the "2-hour rule" especially when entertaining with a large meal or buffet. Don't let perishable foods linger for longer than two hours in the danger zone."
* "Keep replacement dishes of food hot e.g. in the oven or a pot or cold e.g. in the refrigerator or a cooler during the buffet."
* "Do not add new food to a serving dish that has been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours. Remember to change serving utensils as well."
* "Provide serving spoons and tongs for every dish served. Even finger foods, such as cut vegetables, candies, chips/nachos and nuts, should have serving implements to prevent contamination between guests."

Travelling with food

* "Wrap hot food in foil and heavy towels, or carry in insulated containers to maintain a temperature of at least 60°C (140°F)."
* "Store cold foods in a cooler with ice/freezer packs to maintain the temperature at 4°C (40°F) or below. Full coolers keep their temperature better than partially full ones, so add extra insulation to take up unoccupied space. This will also prevent containers from sliding, falling over and leaking."

For more information, visit the agency online.

Image courtesy of www.freephoto1.com

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How to Keep Holiday Food Safe

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