Stay "Food Safe" When Entertaining

Stay “Food Safe” When Entertaining

May is the month for wedding showers, graduations and other social events.  When it comes to preparing food and serving a crowd, it is wise to plan ahead to prevent the spread of germs that can cause foodborne illness, which affects one in six Americans each year.

Wash your hands right away – for 20 seconds with soap and water. Washing your hands frequently when handling food can stop the spread of illness-causing bacteria.

Wash surfaces and utensils after each use.  Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get on cutting boards, utensils, and counter tops.

· Use paper towels or clean clothes to wipe up kitchen surfaces or spills.

· Wash clothes and dish towels frequently on the hot cycle of a washing machine.

· Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food item.

· As an extra precaution, you can use a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils.

Wash fruits and vegetables but not poultry, meat, or eggs.

· Even if you plan to peel fruits and vegetables, it is important to wash them first because bacteria can spread from the outside to the inside as you cut or peel them.

· However, washing raw meat and poultry can actually help bacteria spread, because their juices may splash onto and contaminate your sink and countertops.

· In addition, commercial eggs are washed before sale. Any extra handling of the eggs, such as washing, may actually increase the risk of cross-contamination, especially if the shell becomes cracked.

Source: American Cleaning Institute