2005 Year in Review

Don’t Let Food Poisoning Spoil Your Holiday Party

Source: Carol Schlitt, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness

Everyone is looking forward to having a great time and lots of good food at holiday parties. But, holiday foods have to be handled safely to prevent guests from going home with a case of foodborne illness.

"One of the problems with holiday parties is that foods can be left at room temperature for long periods of time," explains Carol Schlitt, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator. "Foods made with meat, poultry or dairy products can be especially risky if not kept hot or cold as necessary."

Schlitt says that holiday parties need to be planned ahead of time, giving thought to how foods can be kept safe. Hot foods can be kept hot in chafing dishes, roasters or slow cookers. Cold dishes can be kept on ice or in insulated containers. Another way to keep perishable foods safe is to put out only small platters or bowls, replenishing as needed. When refilling serving dishes, those dishes or trays should be replaced and filled with fresh food, instead of adding fresh food to the same tray that was used for serving.

Leaving any perishable foods out at room temperature for people to nibble on throughout a party is an invitation for food-poisoning bacteria to grow. Whether foods are leftovers from a family holiday meal or special holiday foods on a buffet, no perishable foods should be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Any foods left longer at room temperature should be discarded.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
December 13, 2005