Pafford Medical Services Offers Tips for Avoiding Food Poisoning This Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving a feast for family and friends will be the centerpiece of the celebration. The last thing any family chef wants to have happen is someone experiencing symptoms of food poisoning or someone incurring a food preparation injury. Unfortunately, during the holidays, when there are larger family gatherings with food and holiday banquets, out paramedic crews witness many more instances of food poisoning and burns. Thus, Pafford Medical Services, deferring to the Center of Disease Control’s advice, offers the following list of tips to prevent these types of illnesses and injuries.

• Keep foods separated: Keep meat, chicken, turkey, seafood and eggs separate from all other foods to keep them from cross contaminating bacteria.
• Deep frying turkeys can be dangerous. Always prepare a completely thawed and dry turkey outdoors on flat ground at least 10 feet from a structure. Monitor the temperature. The fryer will be very hot to the touch. Keep a dry powder extinguisher
  nearby in case the oil ignites.
• Cook food thoroughly: Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.

•  Roasts, chops, steaks and fresh ham should rest for at least three              minutes after grilling.
• Don’t leave food out (room temperature) for more than two hours; one hour if food has
  been exposed to temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Use pasteurized eggs for dishes containing raw eggs.
• Do not eat raw dough or batter.
• Thaw your turkey safely using the refrigerator or put the turkey in a clean sink where the turkey can be preserved. If using a sink of cold water, refresh the water every 30 minutes for thawing the turkey. Do not thaw a turkey in the Microwave.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially if you are caring for an infant, have symptoms of a cold or are sporadically involved in food preparation throughout the day.