From Thanksgiving to New Years Eve, the holiday season is filled with gatherings around a table or buffet. While nothings better than a plate full of our seasonal favorites, without a little forethought, those turkey and trimmings can be sources of illness waiting to infect the next holiday party-goer.
Serena Fuller, an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Safety for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, says a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas buffet is great, and they can be safe if everyone is mindful of the time the food is sitting out.
According to Fuller, there actually is quite a bit of time that foods can be out at room temperature before it becomes unsafe. The rule is about two hours if its lower than 90 degrees in the environment.
Fuller adds, keep in mind it is a total of two hours, not two hours from the time the meal is served. If possible, transport food on ice and then reheat it when if its a hot dish.
Making sure the food is cooked safely is also a top concern – and being the host or hostess of a large gathering of family and friends puts them at the center of the holiday feast preparing.
Make sure food is prepared in the proper way, which typically means if its a cooked, hot food, to cook the food to the appropriate internal temperature. It varies depending on the dish. For poultry dishes, its 165 degrees Fahrenheit. For a beef roast or something like that, its 145 degrees.
The reason poultry needs to cook longer is because it is susceptible to salmonella, and salmonella is more heat resistant than other types of bacteria. The only way to know if it has reached that temperature, is to check it with a thermometer thats been calibrated appropriately.
When the meal is over, what is a host or hostess to do with all the leftovers? Spreading the holiday love through sharing the remnants of a meal is a great way to make sure the remaining feast doesnt go uneaten, but, as with any other food safety concern, a little planning for leftovers goes a long way.
Fuller suggests having a permanent marker and zip-top bags or plastic containers, and write the date and contents on it the package. Generally, the leftovers should be consumed to within five days, with the exception of gravy. Gravy needs to be eaten within two days, because bacteria really loves gravy and refrigeration doesnt kill the bacteria, it just slows down its growth. After five days, theres a concern there could be considerable bacteria in the gravy which need to be reheated to to 165 degrees for 15 seconds, says Fuller.
Freezing is another great way to make leftovers last a little longer. Lettuce, greens and other foods with particularly high water contents wont freeze well, but most of the holiday meal will freeze successfully. One important note of caution, according to Fuller, is to never thaw food on the countertop, but always in the refrigerator.
She points out there was a time when the food was already out at room temperature and the bacteria is still there. Freezing does not kill bacteria and it is always err on the side of caution.
Label everything, consume refrigerator food within five days and really reheat them. And spread the leftover love, Fuller concludes.
A quick guide to safe internal cooking temperatures is:
Turkey, chicken and other poultry (ground or whole) – 165 degrees
Ground beef, pork, veal or lamb (along with injected meats) – 160 degrees
Steaks and beef roasts – 145 degrees
Pork or ham – 145 degrees
Precooked ham – 140 degrees
Leftovers and casseroles – 165 degrees
For more information on the safe preparation of holiday meals and leftovers, contact your county FCS agent or visit http://www.uaex.edu/health-living/food-safety/default.aspx.
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