Food Safety 101

In the media there has been considerable discussion about food safety relating to meat products from a plant in Alberta. As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend, turkey can be a source of contamination of not dealt with properly as well.

• Keep the raw turkey and its juices away from other food to prevent foodborne bacteria from spreading in your kitchen and contaminating other food.
• Use separate dishes and utensils for raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food.
• Wash your hands carefully with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry.
• Rinsing raw turkey is not necessary and it can spread bacteria wherever the water runs and splashes, creating a risk of foodborne illness.
• Clean and disinfect kitchen surfaces and utensils that have come into contact with raw or partially cooked food, including raw turkey and its juices.
• Never slow cook a turkey! Cook it in the oven until it reaches a minimal internal temperature of 85°C (185°F).
• Use a digital food thermometer to ensure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature. Colour alone is not a reliable indicator that meat is safe to eat.
• Take the temperature in the thickest part of the breast or thigh meat and make sure the thermometer is not touching any bones.
• Always wash the food thermometer and other utensils and dishware that were used on raw or partially cooked foods before using them to check foods again.
• Cook stuffing separately in the oven in its own dish, or on the stove top.
• If you choose to stuff your turkey, stuff it loosely just before roasting, and remove all stuffing right after cooking.
• Stuffing should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
• Use a digital food thermometer to check that the stuffing has reached a safe internal temperature.
• Serve the turkey and stuffing immediately.
• Keep food out of the danger zone, which is between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F), to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Keep hot food hot with warming trays, chafing dishes or crock pots, at a temperature of at least 60°C (140°F).
• Keep cold food cold at 4°C (40°F) or lower by placing serving dishes on crushed ice.

Many folks will plan a family gathering like Thanksgiving around sport like football, soccer or just going for a walk. Enjoying some sport, wear the gear and enjoy the outdoors. If going for a walk remember to remind your children to always cross at the corner. If you routinely drop children off for school, music lessons or sports, always drop them off to potentially crossing in the middle of the road. The excitement of seeing friends or getting picked up by parents might lead some to not look both ways and crossing in the middle of the block is not where traffic expects to see a person. Enjoy the outdoors before winter signals a return to warmer activities.