Thanksgiving Food Safety
Make sure you don't take shortcuts. Bacteria on raw poultry can contaminate other surfaces and utensils during preparation and can be transferred to other foods. Always wash your hands, counters and utensils after touching raw turkey before you begin preparing other foods. Cleaning involves removing dirt and grime, while sanitizing is the process of removing pathogens. Soap and water will get your kitchen clean, but it's not enough to get rid of pathogens. After washing the counter surface with soap and water, you should then wash the counter again using a disinfecting bleach solution. Experts recommend you take this extra step every time you come into contact with raw meat. Sanitizing your countertop and kitchen utensils will prevent any cross-contamination.
Holiday Food Safety Success Kit National Turkey Federation Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States” United States Department of Agriculture, "Let’s Talk Turkey" United States Department of Agriculture, "Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness" Illinois Department of Public Health, "Food Safety Fact Sheet - Critical Temperatures for Food Service" Partnership for Food Safety Education, "Thanksgiving Food Safety" Center for Food Safety, "Thanksgiving traditions for a changing climate" Partnership for Food Safety Education, "Least Wanted Foodborne Pathogens" Phys.org, "Stuffing the turkey and other Thanksgiving food-safety mistakes" Home Food Safety, "Most Common Foodborne Pathogens" Image Courtesy of David Bullock | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Stephanie Frey | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Donald Joski | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Szabolcs Szekeres | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Brent Reeves | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Ruben Gutierrez | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Marcin Pawinski | Dreamstime Image Courtesy of Kelpfish | Dreamstime