Ready For That Traditional Holiday Meal? Keep Food Safety In Mind
Every Step Of The Way
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods'
HomeFoodSafety.org helps keep your family and friends safe from
food poisoning this holiday season.
CHICAGO, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Food is as
much a part of holiday gatherings as football, candles and carols.
This holiday season, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and
ConAgra Foods encourage Americans to enjoy healthy holiday meals
while keeping food safety in mind every step of the way with tips
from the Home Food Safety program's www.HomeFoodSafety.org.
"Preparing a buffet of food can be overwhelming, so proper
preparation and additional attention to food safety is key to
keeping your friends and family safe from food poisoning," said
registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics Joan Salge Blake. "Some of your guests may be at a
higher risk for developing serious illness from food poisoning,
including young children, pregnant women and older adults."
Don't let food poisoning spoil the party. Follow these simple
steps from www.HomeFoodSafety.org for planning, shopping, cooking
and wrapping up the party:
Proper planning. Make sure your kitchen is equipped with
what you need for safe food handling, including two cutting boards
(one for raw meats and seafood and the other for ready-to-eat
foods), a food thermometer, shallow containers for storage, paper
towels and soap. Store foods in the refrigerator at 40 degrees F or
below or in the freezer at 0 degrees F or below. Check the
temperature of both the refrigerator and freezer with a
refrigerator thermometer.
Safe shopping. It's important to keep food safety in mind
as you shop, according to Salge Blake. Whether in the shopping
cart, reusable grocery tote or the car trunk, keep raw meat,
poultry and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods like fruit,
vegetables and bread. Don't purchase bruised or damaged produce, or
canned goods that are dented, leaking, bulging or rusted, as these
may become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Buy cold foods last and bring foods directly home from the
grocery store. Remember to always refrigerate perishable foods,
such as raw meat or poultry, within two hours.
Working in the kitchen
"In a holiday kitchen filled
with family and friends, all hands may be on deck, but are those
hands clean?" Salge Blake asked. "Make sure everyone washes their
hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and
after handling food."
When baking delicious holiday treats, remember that no one
should eat raw cookie dough or brownie batter containing raw eggs.
Have children take the Cookie Rookie Pledge before they assist in
the kitchen.
Wrapping up leftovers
"As you eat and visit with
family and friends, keep in mind how long the food on the buffet
table has been sitting out unrefrigerated," Salge Blake said.
"Remember that you can't tell if a food is unsafe by taste, smell
or appearance alone."
Throw away all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs and
casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours.
Refrigerate or freeze other leftovers in shallow, air-tight
containers and label with an expiration date. Check our Keep It
Cool: Food Storage Chart or Is My Food Safe? app to determine how
long to keep leftovers. Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F, and do
not eat expired foods as this could lead to food poisoning.
Learn more about food safety during the holidays and all year
round with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' redesigned
www.HomeFoodSafety.org or download the free Is My Food Safe? app
for Apple and Android devices.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods' Home
Food Safety program is dedicated to raising consumer awareness
about the seriousness of food poisoning and providing solutions for
easily and safely handling food in their own kitchens. More
information can be found at www.homefoodsafety.org.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American
Dietetic Association) is the world's largest organization of food
and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving
the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics
through research, education and advocacy. To locate a registered
dietitian in your area, visit the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics at www.eatright.org.
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's leading food companies, with
brands in 97 percent of America's households. Consumers find
Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice,
Hebrew National, Hunt's, Marie
Callender's, Orville
Redenbacher's, PAM, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Snack
Pack and many other ConAgra Foods brands in grocery,
convenience, mass merchandise and club stores. ConAgra Foods also
has a strong business-to-business presence, supplying frozen potato
and sweet potato products as well as other vegetable, spice and
grain products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice
operators and commercial customers. For more information, please
visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.
SOURCE Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics