CHI Health shares food safety advice for holiday festivities
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – When you’re having a good time at family gatherings, foodborne illnesses are the furthest thing from your mind. However, health professionals say recent listeria outbreaks should caution people to be more aware of food safety.
Family Medicine doctor at CHI Health, Michael Schooff, said 1,600 people contract listeria every year; 200 of those cases become fatal. Dr. Schooff said despite the recent outbreak being narrowed down to Boar’s Head deli meats, all foods can be infected with bacteria or toxins that can make us sick.
“Take good care of yourself,” said Dr. Schooff. “Have a good time, but be smart and be safe as well.”
Dr. Schooff shared the four keys of food safety to keep folks safe this holiday: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
You’ll want to be sure prep areas are cleaned before you begin cooking; hands, produce, and utensils included. When preparing meals, separate cooked and raw food and never cross-contaminate.
During the holidays, it’s common for people to marinate certain dishes ahead of time. Dr. Schooff advises to never use the marinade to baste meat during or after the cooking process.
Health professionals explained bacteria grows rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees- this is what they call the danger zone. Dr.Schooff said once food is cooked to the proper temperature it should remain at an internal temperature of 140 degrees or higher.
Lastly, chill your food. When you’re having a good time with friends and family, time goes by quickly, doctors say you should try to keep track of how long you’ve had food lying around.
“At our BBQs, we like to set out our foods and eat and talk and play,” Dr. Schooff said. “But foods that are supposed to be hot or food that’s supposed to be cold should not sit out more than 2 hours.”
Foods that have dairy should never be left out without being chilled on ice or in a cooler. After two hours, food should be covered securely and chilled in a fridge or freezer.
If in doubt, throw it out! Dr. Schooff said if you don’t know if a dish is still good, toss it out. He said it is better to be safe than sorry.
Foodborne illnesses are not often detrimental and should pass as long as you have lots of fluids and warm, light foods like soup. Dr. Schooff warns that if you are unable to keep liquids down, you should seek medical attention immediately.
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