OccuSafe Industrial Hygiene Consulting

The Holidays are a great time for family and friends to get together to enjoy company and eat.  Although you want to enjoy your meals and snacks, it’s important to follow a few rules when preparing foods. This is especially true if you are preparing foods for people who are at a higher risk for illness such as pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. As a general rule: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.

Here are some tips based on CDC and FDA guidelines.

• Cook foods thoroughly and check temperatures with a food thermometer.
• Be sure to keep food in the safe range. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F. After food is cooked, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within 2 hours. The temperature in your refrigerator should be set at or below 40°F and the freezer at or below 0°F.
• Consider buying and using pasteurized eggs and egg products, which are widely available as per USDA guidelines. Keep eggs refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or colder at all times. Only buy eggs from stores and suppliers that keep them refrigerated.
• Do not eat raw dough or batter. Flour, regardless of the brand, can contain bacteria that cause disease.
• Keep foods separated. Meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs should be separated from all other foods at the grocery store and in your refrigerator. Prevent juices from meat, chicken, turkey, and seafood from dripping or leaking onto other foods by keeping them in containers or sealed plastic bags. Store eggs in their original carton in the main compartment of the refrigerator.
• Wash you hands before, during, and after preparing food and before eating.  Hand washing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick.

OccuSafe wishes you a safe and happy Christmas and 2020.