As we enter the busy holiday season, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is sharing important food safety practices by encouraging Kansans to follow some simple tips to avoid foodborne illnesses.
Clean your hands for 20 seconds with soapy water before touching any food. Wash hands and surfaces often during food preparation. Always serve food on clean plates and avoid reusing plates that previously held raw meat and poultry. Separate raw and cooked foods to avoid cross contamination. Use a separate cutting board for cooked foods and raw foods and always wash them after use. Do not cut raw vegetables on the same cutting board as raw meat. Wash any utensil after preparing one food item before going on to the next item.
Cook using a food thermometer to make sure all food reaches a safe minimum internal temperature; turkey, stuffing, and casseroles should be 165°F; veal, beef and lamb roasts should reach 145°F; and ham, pork, ground beef and egg dishes should be 160°F. When reheating, leftovers should be thoroughly heated to 165°F.
Chill leftovers within two hours of cooking. Keep track of how long items have been sitting on the table and discard anything that has been out longer than two hours. Keep hot foods hot, 140°F or hotter, and cold foods cold, 40°F or below. Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, in a cold water bath or in the microwave.
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Horton man arrested following weekend shooting
Holton man killed in Jackson Co crash
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Falls City man sentenced to Federal Prison
Jackson Co traffic stop leads to arrest
Ground Broken for new Sac and Fox Trad'n Post
One held for past Atchison shooting
Inmate dies at Lansing Correctional Facility
Early Thursday storms leave damage, outages, locally
90 mph+ downburst winds blamed for Thursday damage
Mound City Mayor Duane Nauman remembered
Community Healthcare System hires new CEO
Brown Co Planning Commission established
KS' LaTurner will not seek another term
Valley Falls' future set for Wednesday eve discussion
PBPN breaks ground for new business
Richardson County Board agrees to mediation
LATEST STORIES
Holton man killed in Jackson Co crash
90 mph+ downburst winds blamed for Thursday damage
Wamego man sentenced in second fentanyl-related death
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Rates to increase at Brown Co landfill
NOAA weather radio event set in Seneca