December 21, 2021 – Health Department of Northwest Michigan News Release
This holiday season do not let unwanted guests – food poisoning – spoil your holiday parties. We all play a role in keeping food safe for family, friends, and yourself.
“By taking a few simple steps such as proper hand washing, properly storing raw meat, and taking care of leftovers, we can significantly reduce the risk of getting sick from food poisoning,” said Dan Thorell, Director of Environmental Health Services with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six Americans get sick from food poisoning each year. This holiday season is a perfect opportunity to review safe food handling practices. Each of us plays a role in keeping food safe, wholesome, and nutritious. This means:
- Paying close attention to personal hygiene like hand washing,
- Keeping food preparation and storage areas clean and sanitized,
- Maintaining temperature control for safety; and,
- Properly discarding food that is no longer wholesome or past its expiration date.
Whether you grow your own food, shop at a grocery store, or if you have groceries or meals delivered, it is important to follow safe food handling practices using these four steps:
- Clean: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces often.
- Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate. Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
- Cook to the right temperature. Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs that can make you sick.
- Chill: Refrigerate and freeze food properly.
For more information, visit www.FoodSafety.gov. The health department urges all of us to do our part to keep food safe during the holiday season.
