Logan County Department of Public Health
Do not let foodborne illness spoil your holiday celebration
Plan now for a safe and healthy holiday season

[November 21, 2022] 

The holidays are, traditionally, a time for friends and family to gather and share a meal. It is important to practice proper food safety measures during the holidays in order to prevent foodborne illness. Most people do not think about food safety until they, or someone they know, gets sick after eating contaminated food. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that roughly 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases each year.

The following steps are recommended to help keep your food safe:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food.

• Thoroughly clean food-preparation surfaces often. Do this especially between uses for preparation of raw, potentially hazardous foods, and foods that are ready to eat.

• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water.

• Thaw your frozen turkey or other meats properly. Frozen foods are the safest when thawed in the refrigerator. On short notice, frozen foods can also be thawed in the sink under cold running water.

• Cook food to its proper internal temperature. Use an accurate food thermometer and, when taking the temperature, insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the food item to properly check. It is safe to cook ground beef and pork to at least 160°F, and chicken and turkey to 180°F. These temperatures are slightly higher than commercial temperatures to provide a safety margin.

When preparing leftovers, potentially hazardous foods should be reheated to at least 165°F. Visit the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) website at www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/
hbsafefood.htm  for more cooking and food safety information.

• If preparing a turkey, it is safest to cook the stuffing separate from, and not inside, the turkey as the stuffing can act as an insulator which can prevent the turkey from reaching the proper temperature.

• Keep food out of the “Danger Zone.” Cold foods should be held at 41°F or below while hot foods should be held at 135°F or above. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within 2 hours after serving.

• To prevent cross contamination during refrigeration, store raw, potentially hazardous foods, such as meat and eggs, separate from, or below, foods that are ready-to-eat.
 

When purchasing your food, take items home immediately for refrigeration or freezing. Check the use-by dates when making your purchase. Refrigerated food should be cold to the touch and frozen food should be solid. Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks, or bulges. Check produce for freshness. Meat should have a good color, be firm to the touch and free of slime and foul odors. For more information regarding food safety, contact LCDPH at 217-735-2317 or visit their website at WWW.LCDPH.ORG.

[Don Cavi, MS, LEHP
Public Health Administrator
Logan County Department of Public Health]