NH Department of Health and Human Services
129 Pleasant Street – Hugh Gallen State Office Park Concord, NH 03301
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Public Information Office
December 724, 2009
603-271-6526
Food Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
Concord, NH – During this busy holiday season, the Department of Health and
Human Services’ (DHHS) Bureau of Food Protection wants to remind everyone
to follow some important food safety practices to avoid foodborne
illnesses, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.
“Food is always a central part of holiday celebrations, but foodborne
illness shouldn’t be,” said Dr. Jose Montero, Director of Public Health at
DHHS. “There are an estimated 76 million cases of foodborne disease,
325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year in the United States.
The good news is that taking the proper precautions and following approved
techniques can prevent these illnesses.”
There are some simple precautions everyone should always take to reduce
the possiblility of becoming sick when preparing food, which include:
Separate: Use a separate cutting board for cooked foods and raw foods
and always wash them after use. Avoid cross contamination. Wash any
utensil after preparing one food item before going on to the next
item.
Clean: Always wash hands before touching any food. Wash hands and
surfaces often during food preparation and afterward.
Cook: Make sure all meats are thoroughly cooked by using a meat
thermometer: turkey, stuffing, and casseroles to 165ºF; veal, beef,
and lamb roasts to 145ºF; and ham, pork, ground beef, and egg dishes
to 160ºF. When reheating, leftovers should be thoroughly heated to
165ºF.
Chill: Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours. The
refrigerator should be maintained at 40ºF or lower and the freezer
should be at 0ºF or lower. Keep hot foods
hot, 140ºF or hotter, and cold foods cold, 40ºF or below. Never
defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, in a
cold-water bath, or in the microwave. When using a microwave, meat
must be cooked immediately after. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Report: Report suspected foodborne illnesses to the NH Department of
Health and Human Services by calling 603-271-4496. Often calls from
concerned citizens are how outbreaks are first detected. If a public
health official calls you to talk about an outbreak your cooperation
is important, even if you are not ill.
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