Keeping you and your family healthy for the holiday season goes beyond colds and the flu. It also includes food safety.
Our kitchens are extremely busy this time of year, as the holidays bring plenty of food preparation, cooking and clean-up.
Dr. Lea Monday, an infectious disease physician at the Detroit Medical Center, shared her expertise related to food safety and what we can do to help avoid getting sick.
“My work focuses on preventing and treating serious infections,” she said. “This also applies to our food. You’ve probably heard of listeria, E. coli and salmonella, all of which can make you very sick.”
When it comes to food safety, she listed five things that are important to keep in mind.
1. Washing during food preparation
Dr. Monday said washing your hands before and after every step of food preparation is very important.
Because of the potential for E. coli bacteria to live on produce, it’s imperative to rinse off all fruits and vegetables, even before peeling.
To ensure you’re not spreading bad bacteria, you can also:
- Wash all utensils, counters, cutting boards and knives with hot, soapy water, or in the dishwasher.
- Do not re-use plates with raw meats.
- Prevent juices from meats and seafood from leaking onto other foods by keeping them in separate containers or sealed plastic bags.
2. Food temperature
Another important thing is to be sure you’re cooking foods thoroughly and storing them quickly. Dr. Monday said germs can grow rapidly in the danger zone that lies between 40 F and 140 F.
Use a food thermometer to be sure foods are cooked to a temperature hot enough to kill germs.
After your food is prepared, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Leaving food out for too long at room temperature can cause bad bacteria like staphylococcus, salmonella, E. coli and campylobacter to grow to dangerous levels. A good rule of thumb is to never leave food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
However, hot food can be kept in warming trays or a slow cooker, while cold food can be placed in containers and kept on ice.
Another safety issue is improper cooling of cooked foods. Bacteria can be introduced to food after it is safely cooked, so leftovers need to be in shallow containers for quick cooling.
3. Use caution when ingesting food
Are there foods to avoid or be cautious about? Dr. Monday said some are obvious and others are not.
Eating raw and undercooked meat or poultry can make you sick, and it’s a good rule of thumb to avoid consumption of raw or unpasteurized eggs.
Raw seafood can contain bacteria, as well, so it’s important to keep them away from other foods.
It can be tempting to taste raw dough, but uncooked dough and batter made with flour or eggs can contain harmful germs like E. coli and salmonella.
Always wash your hands, bowls, utensils and countertops after handling any of these ingredients.
4. Understand the dangers of bacteria
A bacteria called listeria can be particularly dangerous to adults over the age of 65, pregnant women, newborns and people with weak immune systems.
The bacteria can survive in the refrigerator and has been tied to outbreaks in certain products like raw unpasteurized milk and cheeses or cold cut deli meats. If you are in one of those groups, you should avoid certain raw or unpasteurized foods.
5. Food poisoning
When it comes to food poisoning, Dr. Monday said there are four main factors that can increase your risk:
- People who are 65 and older.
- Children 5 years and younger.
- Those with weakened immune systems.
- Women who are pregnant.
She said the timing and symptoms of food poisoning can vary by the bacteria. Symptoms typically include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
Regardless of whether you’re home or traveling, if you begin to have severe food poisoning symptoms, there are some signs to know when it’s time to go to an urgent care or emergency room:
- If you are pregnant, even if symptoms are mild.
- You cannot keep down any fluids.
- There is blood in your stool.
- For children, if their diapers are dry, as they are not urinating enough.
- If you are confused or overly tired.
To learn how you can get connected with a Detroit Medical Center primary care physician or specialist who’s right for you, click or tap here.