Holiday food safety guidelines from Public Health

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - As we join together with friends and family to enjoy holiday meals and celebrations, the last thing on our minds is food borne illness. Yet each year, thousands of King County residents do get food borne illnesses, the holidays being no exception.

"Follow food safety rules, particularly when you're going to be inviting people into your home for a holiday meal," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Whether you're serving turkey with all the trimmings or other traditional favorites, be sure to prepare, cook, serve, and store food with safety in mind."

Here are four important food safety tips to protect you and your guests from food borne illness this holiday season:

1.	Wash your hands to stop the spread of germs
	Wash your hands warm water and soap before touching cooking utensils and before touching food that will not be cooked. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom, after touching raw meat, fish or poultry, and after taking out the garbage, sneezing, or coughing.
2.	Don't spread germs from one food to another (don't "cross-contaminate")
	Store meat, poultry or fish in the "meat" drawer of the refrigerator, or put them on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator so the juices don't drip on other foods. Wash all vegetables and fruits under running water. Scrub fruit like melons with a brush or cloth. Wash and sanitize cutting surfaces and utensils when you finish cutting raw poultry, meat, or fish. Household bleach is a good sanitizer. Use one teaspoon for each gallon of cool water. Dispose of wiping cloths after cleaning raw meat juice. Use a cutting board without deep scratches, because they are difficult to properly sanitize.
3.	Heat foods to their proper temperature:
	*Harmful bacteria are killed when foods are cooked to the following temperatures:*
	Turkey and other poultry - 165º F Ground meat - 155º F Pork - 150º F Fish, shellfish, lamb and other beef - 140º F
	*Most people prefer the quality and texture of these foods when cooked to the following temperatures:*
	Turkey and other poultry - 180ºF Ground meat - 160º F Pork - 160º F Fish, shellfish, lamb and other beef - 145º F
4.	Cool and reheat foods properly to avoid growing germs:
	Keep cold foods cold (45º F or lower), and hot foods hot (above 140º F). Refrigerate foods as soon as possible. Don't let food "cool down" before refrigerating. Do not cover hot food until it has cooled to 45º F or below. If food has been sitting at room temperature for up to two hours, refrigerate it or reheat it. If food has been sitting out for longer than two hours, throw it out. Reheat leftovers or previously cooked food to at least 165 F.

Learn more about food safety.

Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day.

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