Food Safety Tips for Entertaining
Whether it's a buffet for a large group or a family
party, when we are cooking for people we care about,
we want to present the perfect meal and to keep them
safe. But all too often cooking and serving food for
groups can result in unintended gastrointestinal
consequences. Whether it's a buffet for a large
group or a family party, when we are cooking for
people we care about, we want to present the perfect
meal and to keep them safe. But all too often
cooking and serving food for groups can result in
unintended gastrointestinal consequences. So, when
you plan to entertain, plan food safety into your
meal preparation.
By following some basic food safety precautions
while storing, preparing and serving food, we can
ensure that our guests will be well fed and
protected at the same time.
Food Safety experts at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture caution that party buffets can pose a
special hazard. Foods served in this way are often
left out for long periods of time, making them
susceptible to harmful bacteria. Unlike
microorganisms that can cause food to spoil,
bacteria cannot be smelled or tasted. Poultry,
especially turkey, and ground beef are two popular
meats to serve at gatherings, but they are also very
likely to carry bacteria such as salmonella and
e-coli that cause foodborne illnesses.
The USDA offers the following guidelines for
preventing the spread of bacteria through food:
* Always wash hands before and after handling food.
All kitchen utensils and dishes should be kept clean
and washed with soap, not just rinsed, when you
switch from one food to another during the
preparation process. Food should be served on clean
plates that have not been used for raw meat.
* Cook food thoroughly to safe temperatures. Good
meat thermometers (designed for each kind of meat)
are essential.
For testing your turkey, which should be cooked to
180 degrees for a whole bird, use a programmable
digital thermometer like those offered by Acu-Rite.
It has a probe that you place in the roast and a
monitor that sticks to the outside of the oven with
magnets or can be placed on the countertop for easy
reading. The probe and monitor are attached by a
3-foot long ovenproof cord. So, you can monitor your
meat temperature without ever opening the oven. It
comes preprogrammed to USDA standards for a variety
of foods and has an automatic alarm to let you know
when your meat is done.
Roast beef, veal and lamb should be cooked to at
least 145 degrees for medium rare doneness. The Acu-Rite
combination oven/meat thermometer gives both the
ambient temperature of the oven and the internal
temperature of the roast on a single face. It is
perfect for the cook who prefers a traditional dial
face, but wants the convenience and safety of
precise temperature readings.
For ground beef, which should be cooked to 160
degrees, try a specially designed burger
thermometer. The SureGrip Digital Burger Probe from
Acu-Rite is designed to ensure that proper readings
of burger patties. It features a bent tip, long
stem, and an easy-to-grip handle that also provides
ease of use.
* Use shallow containers to store food in the
refrigerator or freezer. This ensures that when it
is heated it will cool rapidly and evenly. Hot foods
should be reheated to 165 degrees, and should be
served on several small platters rather than on one
platter. The rest of the hot food should be kept in
the oven at 200 to 250 degrees or in the
refrigerator until serving time. This will ensure
that foods will be held at a safe temperature for
the longest time possible. When buffet platters
become empty, replace them rather than adding fresh
food to a dish that has been sitting out. Food may
have become contaminated from being at room
temperature too long, and from contact with people's
hands.
* Keep track of your buffet table: Don't allow foods
to sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
* Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods
should be held at 140 degrees or warmer. Chafing
dishes, slow cookers and warming trays will do the
trick. Cold foods, which should be at 40 degrees or
colder, can be kept in bowls of ice, or should be
replaced often.
With just a few simple precautions, cooks can ensure
that their parties are remembered only for the good
food and company.
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