BOZEMAN (MSU News Service) – The Oxford English Dictionary says the term, “potluck,” refers to when unexpected dinner guests took their chances with whatever food was in the cooking pot.
But taking your chances about the safety of the food shouldn’t be part of holiday gatherings, said Lynn Paul, food and nutrition specialist at Montana State University.
“Food safety is an important consideration, whether you are adding your favourite hot dish to a loaded potluck table or hosting family and friends in your home,” she said.
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Many consumers think the problem of food-related illness is not in their hands. But here’s the reality check: It’s estimated that one quarter of all reported cases of food-related illness are from unsafe food handling at home.
“Research shows that most consumers think they handle food safely, when in fact, they often do not,” said Paul.
A recent study of consumer food handling practices showed that only one-third of people washed their hands with soap before preparing food, only one-third cleaned food preparation surfaces. Most people undercooked meat and did not use a thermometer to measure internal food temperatures.
People at higher risk for con-tracting an illness from unsafely prepared food include pregnant women, infants and young children, older people, people who are already sick or whose immune systems are compromised by chronic illnesses such as diabetes, AIDS or cancer.
People in these high risk groups are not only less able to fight off food borne illness, they are more likely to suffer intense symptoms.
“Illnesses due to unsafe food handling can mean more than just nausea and stomach ache,” Paul said. “People can die or they can develop chronic diseases such as reactive arthritis or Guillian Barré syndrome paralysis.”
But that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy potlucks. Paul’s recommendation is that whether you’re a host or a guest, take food safety seriously, starting with these tips.
Always wash your hands before and after handling food. As a host, have adequate space for washing hands for you and your guests and disposable towels for drying hands. Serve food with clean plates and utensils. Do not transfer cooked meat onto the same plate that previously held raw meat or poultry.
Use a food thermometer to ensure food reaches the proper internal temperature. Poultry should reach 165F. Casseroles should reach 165 F.
All pork should reach 160 F.
Beef, veal, lamb roasts and chops to 145 F. Ground beef and lamb should reach 160 F.
Two hours is the safe time limit for foods at room temperature. That includes the time that foods have been at room temperature during transport and at the buffet table. Discard food that has remained at room temperature for more than two hours. Never reheat and eat food that has passed the two-hour rule.
Once hot foods have been cooked to the safe minimum temperature, keep them at 140 F with chafing dishes, warming trays or slow cookers, using a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. Keep cold foods at 40 F or colder. Use containers of ice or serve from small trays, replacing the supply as needed.
Use small, shallow containers to store food in the freezer or refrig-erator until serving. They allow food to cool rapidly.
Always reheat pre-cooked foods to 165 F and once heated, keep them hot at 140 F.
Serving food in small containers and replacing the empty dishes rather than adding more food to them will help eliminate the chance of bacteria from hands contaminating more food.
