Food safety tips on vacation

Christmas is in the air. Can't you feel it Freshly cut Christmas trees with their wonderful pine aroma are on display in the squares.

Yes, there is also a lot of traffic on the streets that can put your nerves to the test, but don't let the Christmas spirit spoil you with wonderful moments with family and friends.

Then there are the special foods that are a hallmark of the holiday season: ham, roast chicken, rice and peas, sorrel, egg liqueur, fruit cake and plum pudding. , What would the Christmas vacation be without food, without delicious food?

After all, there is no better way to enjoy the Jamaican sun and the company of friends and family than to share with something delicious.

In this time between Christmas and New Year, we not only have fun with family and friends, it is also the time when we are most likely to host a multi-generation family event. You could have anyone for a great meal, from grandparents to young children and everyone else.

In a moment everyone is in the kitchen, the fridge is open all the time, there is not enough space in the fridge so you can put things aside. There is a risk of food-borne illness throughout the year. However, this risk appears to increase during the holiday season when there is a lot of food in large gatherings and chaos in the kitchen.

While comforting all this kindness, it can also be fertile ground for the spread of pathogens. Keeping this in mind is the key to ensuring that everyone is on vacation with no episodes of illness. Nothing can cushion the Christmas mood better than a rebellious stomach.

Start with the kitchen yourself and clean the sink, worktops, cutting boards, pots, knives, meat thermometer, utensils and serving items with hot water and soap. , To disinfect the countertop and cutting boards, wash them with a solution of diluted bleach and a tablespoon of liquid bleach per gallon of water.

Preparing and storing large amounts of food at home for the holidays can be challenging. When shopping, make sure that freshly cut fruits and vegetables such as packaged salads and pre-cut melons are chilled. Keep meat, chicken, turkey, shellfish and eggs separate from all other foods when packaging.

Prevent meat, chicken, and seafood juices from spilling or leaking onto other foods at home by storing them in sealed plastic containers or bags. Keep fresh, sliced, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Store eggs in the main refrigerator. Seafood, another popular holiday dish, requires special care. Be sure to only buy chilled or frozen fresh seafood.

Before and after preparing fresh fruits and vegetables, do not use the same cutting board without cleaning it with soap and hot water.

The dough and dough containing flour or eggs can contain harmful germs such as E. coli and Salmonella. Do not taste or eat dough or raw dough for baking or baking. This includes dough or dough for cookies, cakes, pies, cookies, pancakes or pizza.

Keep warm food warm and cold after cooking. Cold dishes should be kept fresh or chilled until they are served. When preparing serving trays or picnic baskets that you want to make available to people for a period of time, use ice cube trays and cool packs to keep food at safe eating temperatures

Wash your hands with soap and water in these key moments where the germs can contract and spread:

• Before, during and after preparation.

Eat;

• Before the meal;

• After handling pet food or a pet

Treat or touch pets;

• After going to the bathroom;

• After changing diapers or cleaning

a child who used the bathroom;

• After touching the garbage;

• Before and after treatment.

someone who is sick;

• Before and after treatment of a cut or

injuries;

• blow your nose,

Cough or sneeze

As much as we try to put all of these delicious dishes on the table, our eyes are often bigger than our stomach. Holiday meals can be donated for the rest of the week! Although you don't want to do much after a hearty meal, it is very important to refrigerate or freeze the leftovers within two hours of cooking.

Bacteria multiply faster in hot temperatures between 40 ° F and 140 ° F. Therefore, leaving cooked food at room temperature is an invitation for bacteria to grow in food. If cooked food has been left out for more than two hours, throw it away as reheating is dangerous.

If you're dealing with foods that are cooked or eaten outside in a hot climate, chill them within an hour. Food should be cooled to a point where steam no longer escapes before being placed in the refrigerator. If you know, or even suspect, that the food was kept in the refrigerator for four hours or more, it's better to throw it away rather than risk getting sick. If in doubt, throw it away!

When heating up leftovers in the microwave, make sure that the food is stirred or rotated evenly during the cooking process. Cold spots can easily create harmful bacteria and make you sick.

If you have symptoms of an illness or have been ill recently, do not use food. Leave the prepared and served food to other members of your home and take the opportunity to get up.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Dr. Wendy-Gaye Thomas is the group's technical director, Technological Solutions Limited, a Jamaican food technology company. Send an email to: wendy.thomas@tsltech.com.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. Jamaica Observer ePaper is available at home or at work. It is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive

Let's block the ads! (Why?)