| Food makes the holidays more festive. At this time | | | | every time you taste food.13. Clear leftover food |
| of year you enjoy family dinners, church potlucks, | | | | quickly and refrigerate.AT WORK1. Ask a |
| office parties, buffet lunches, cookie exchanges, and | | | | knowledgable person to be in charge.2. Refrigerate |
| cups of cheer. Gifts are exchanged, too, and food | | | | donated food immediately.3. Wash hands before |
| poisoning is the "gift" you don't want.Though it's | | | | handling food. (Buy several bottles of hand |
| relatively rare in the US, food poisoning can happen | | | | sanitizer.)4. Label foods so people know what they're |
| to anyone, according to MedlinePlus. That doesn't | | | | eating.5. Tell people if food contains nuts or soy.6. |
| mean much if you're the one who gets it. You may | | | | Serve food in small batches, not all at once.7. Keep |
| get food poisoning at home or while traveling. Each | | | | mayonnaise-based foods icy cold.8. Keep hot foods |
| year 60-80 million (that's MILLION) people around the | | | | really hot.9. Don't leave food out for more than two |
| globe get food poisoning.If you've had food poisoning | | | | hours.10. Provide clean storage containers for |
| you know it's awful, so awful you thought you were | | | | leftovers. Write the food and date on all containers.11. |
| going to die. Some people do die. The FDA says food | | | | Discard food that hasn't been refrigerated for more |
| poisoning is especially threatening to kids five years | | | | than four hours.AT A RESTAURANT1. Check to see |
| old and younger, and the elderly. E.coli can cause | | | | if food handlers are wearing plastic gloves.2. Find out |
| hemolyptic uremic syndrome, which can lead to | | | | if the food handlers are handling money. (Money is |
| kidney damage and, in some cases, death.The | | | | often contaiminaed with human feces.)3. Is there a |
| symptoms of food poisoning are nasty: nausea, | | | | cough shield over the food table?4. Skip the salad bar |
| vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headaches, and weakness. | | | | if the ingredients aren't on ice.5. Check to see if the |
| Food poisoning strikes within two-to-four hours after | | | | restaurant has a clean plate policy for additional |
| eating contaminated food and it can last as long as | | | | servings of salad.6. Don't eat salad dressing that's in |
| 10 days. Prevetion is the best defense against food | | | | open bowls on the table.7. Make sure hot food is |
| poisoning.Mayo Clinic, in an Internet article called | | | | kept in warming pans, kettles, and hot plates.8. Each |
| "Serve it Up Safe: 8 Ways to Prevent Food-Bourne | | | | dish should have its own serving spoon or fork.9. |
| Illness," lists some prevention tips, such as washing | | | | Servers should bring buffet foods out in small |
| linens often and washing equipment, including your | | | | batches.10. Does the menu say all beef will be |
| meat thermometer, in hot, soapy water. To be in the | | | | cooked to medium temperature?11. Hamburgers |
| safe side, the article says you should reheat leftovers | | | | should be cooked until the internal temperature is 160 |
| to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.Practice | | | | degrees.12. Write the food and date on your doggie |
| safe food handling during the holidays. Unsure about | | | | bag/box."Everyone is at risk for foodbourne illness," |
| what to do? The USDA Food and Safety Inspection | | | | according to the FDA's Food Safety Education |
| Service has published a colorful booklet called | | | | Website. That makes food safety your business. Call |
| "Cooking for Groups." You'll find the booklet on You'll | | | | the local public health department if you see unsafe |
| find additional information on And follow these tips to | | | | food practices. And follow the FDA's advice during |
| keep your tummy safe during the holidays.AT | | | | the holidays: When in doubt throw it out!Copyright |
| HOME1. Wash your hands well before handling food.2. | | | | 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her |
| Use paper or cloth dishcloths, not sponges.4. | | | | work go to Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for |
| Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods.5. Store | | | | 27 years and is a member of the Association of |
| washed produce in a different container, not the | | | | Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health |
| original.6. Keep cold foods at 40 degrees or less.7. | | | | writer she was a food writer for the former |
| Keep hot foods at 140 degrees or more.8. | | | | "Rochester Magazine," in her hometown of |
| Double-bag leaking meat and poultry packages or seal | | | | Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your |
| them in plastic wrap.9. Thaw meat and poultry in the | | | | Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, |
| refrigerator, not on the counter.10. NEVER eat frozen | | | | MD, is available from A five-star review of the book |
| meat, poultry or fish that has been thawed and | | | | is also posted on Amazon. The book is packed with |
| refrozen.11. Check internal temperature of meat and | | | | Healing Steps - 114 in all - that lead readers to their |
| poultry with a thermometer.12. Use a clean spoon | | | | own healing path. |