Department Of Public Health Encourages

Food Safety This Holiday Season

HARTFORD — The Department of Public Health (DPH) reminds the public to keep food safety in mind to stay healthy this holiday season.

Many holiday dinners incorporate meat and poultry, a possible source of foodborne disease unless handled and prepared properly. This holiday season, DPH urges consumers to follow public health guidelines when purchasing and preparing food items, paying particularly close attention to the basic tenets of food safety and good hygiene.

“The holidays are a great time for families to get together and enjoy a wonderful meal with their loved ones,” said DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH, MBA. “When preparing food, it’s very important that people prepare and store food safely to prevent foodborne illness from ruining their holiday gatherings.”

Holiday buffets, party trays, or even a poorly stored turkey can be the culprit of disease. Improperly stored food items provide breeding grounds for bacterial contamination, which causes illness that affects an average of 76 million people each year.

Here are a few food safety tips to avoid getting sick during the holiday season (all temperatures are Fahrenheit):

*Wash hands — Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and dry your hands with a paper towel following restroom use, before preparing foods, after handling raw meat and before eating. Clean hands will help prevent the spread of potentially illness-causing microorganisms.

*Clean — Wash and sanitize food-contact surfaces often. To sanitize utensils, immerse for 30 seconds in clean, hot water at 170 degrees, or immerse for at least one minute in a clean solution containing at least 50 parts per million of chlorine (one teaspoon of 5.25 percent household bleach per gallon of water). Bacteria can spread and get onto cutting boards, knives, and countertops. Wash fruits and vegetables with water before preparing.

*Thaw properly — Proper methods for thawing a turkey include: thawing in a refrigerator with a temperature of 41 degrees or less (allow three to four days for thawing); placing under cool running water at a temperature of 75 degrees or less; or thawing in a microwave and cooking the turkey immediately.

*Take temperatures — Cook your turkey at 325 degrees until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees. Cooked, hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or warmer. Be sure to use a food thermometer to check temperatures. When cooking a stuffed turkey, be sure that the turkey, as well as the stuffing inside of it, reaches at least 165 degrees. Even if the turkey itself reaches 165 degrees, the stuffing inside may take longer to reach 165 degrees, the temperature safe enough to kill any bacteria that may be present.

*Stuffing — Prepare your stuffing and turkey just before cooking. Using a cold stuffing may make it more difficult to reach the safe temperature of 165 degrees. Stuff the turkey loosely and use ¾ of a cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Use a moist stuffing rather than a dry stuffing because heat destroys bacteria better in a moist environment. For a safer approach, cook stuffing separately.

*Keep it cold — Cold foods should be kept at 41 degrees or less. After the turkey is served, immediately slice and refrigerate on shallow platters. Store leftover food in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within three to four days. Use gravy within one to two days. If freezing leftovers, use within two to six months for best quality.

*Transport safely — Keep hot foods hot (140 degrees or above) and cold foods cold (41 degrees or less).

*Reheat — Leftover turkey and stuffing should be stored separately in shallow dishes or platters. Rapidly reheat leftovers to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

*Proper hand washing is the most effective way to keep food and guests safe.

*Do not prepare foods if you are experiencing symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea or if you recently had such symptoms. Many foodborne illnesses are transmitted unknowingly by a food preparer who had these symptoms — even if they washed their hands. If you are ill, let someone else do the cooking and provide a safe and enjoyable dinner for your family and friends.

For more information and free literature about food safety, contact the Food Protection Program at 860-509-7297.

With Holidays Approaching,

Safe Fish Options For Women Abound

Many religious and cultural observances this holiday season will center around traditional foods, and for many families that holiday menu will include fish. But in Connecticut and across the country, many women are forgoing even a sampling of holiday fish dishes out of concern for the possible toxins they may ingest.

With that in mind, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut Food Association announced an expanded effort to reach women consumers to help them decide which species of fish to eat in order to enjoy their healthy benefits, while reducing the risk of ingesting certain chemicals.

To better help consumers understand which fish to purchase, signs and “takeaway” cards with advice on the best fish choices are available at food stores at the fish counter. The Connecticut Food Association, representing most large supermarkets in Connecticut, agreed to voluntarily post signs and cards in all participating stores.

New versions of the sign and takeaway cards are being made available that focus on the best types of fish to eat. These good fish are designated by “hearts.” These include sole, wild salmon, trout, flounder, and pollock.

“As public health practitioners, we encourage people to eat more fish for the heart-healthy benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but we also urge people to limit eating some specific fish species because of the risk of toxins, such as mercury,” stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH, MBA. “People should not be afraid to eat fish, but people who consume large amounts of fish on a daily or weekly basis need to understand their risk.”

Seafood is good for people because it contains high levels of protein and nutritious omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to preventing heart disease and are particularly important to pregnant women and women of childbearing years because of their crucial role in brain development of unborn children.

Unfortunately, some fish absorb chemicals such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals can build up in the human body and damage the nervous system. The developing fetus and young children are most sensitive.

Women who eat fish containing these chemicals before or during pregnancy or while they are nursing may have children who are slow to develop and learn. Long-term exposure to PCBs may also increase cancer risk.

“The sign program emphasizes that fish is part of a healthy diet but that women of child bearing age and young children face possible hazards from eating too much of certain species that are contaminated with mercury or PCBs,” stated Stan Sorkin, CFA President. “It is the food industry’s responsibility to effectively communicate this information to our consumers.”

Consumers can look at the fish counter to see if their supermarket is participating in this program. The “Healthy Fish Choice” guide and other information on types of fish caught in specific water bodies in Connecticut can also be obtained by visiting the DPH website at www.ct.gov/dph/fish or calling 877-458-FISH (3474).