MOBILE, Ala. -- It’s the time of
year when foods can languish for hours at holiday gatherings. The toast points
and Triskets can take the heat, of course, but mayonnaise-based dishes should typically
be kept on ice. Each year, 1 in 6 Americans get sick from foodborne diseases,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As many as 3,000
U.S. residents die from such illnesses annually, the CDC reports.
Reducing foodborne illnesses by just 10 percent would keep five million Americans from getting sick each year, according to the CDC.
The Mobile County Health
Department offers the following food safety tips:
- Wash
hands, surfaces and utensils often when preparing foods.
- Always
wash hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after
handling food. Surfaces and cutting boards should be cleaned with a bleach
solution or run through the dishwasher.
- Keep
hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
- After
two hours, discard potentially hazardous foods that have been out of
refrigeration or that have not been kept hot or on ice.
- Mayonnaise-based foods need to be kept
cold. Mayonnaise alone is too acidic for bacteria to grow in it.
However, when mixed with other foods, (such as chicken salad or spinach
dip) bacteria can grow if the mixture is kept too warm.
- Cook to
the right temperature. Use a meat thermometer to insure that food reaches
a safe internal temperature before serving.
- Large
cuts of beef such as roasts and steaks may be cooked to 145º F for medium
rare or to 160º F for medium. Cook ground poultry to 165° F and poultry
parts to 170° F. Fish should be opaque and flake easily.
- Report
it. If you believe you became ill from eating a certain food, contact your
local health department. If an employee from the health department
contacts you to find out more information about a possible foodborne
illness or outbreak, your cooperation is important.
