Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner or bringing a dish to another gathering, it can be easy to get distracted and overlook food safety. 

But a few common mistakes could see you spending the holiday season in the hospital. 

Every year around 48million – one in six – americans suffer foodborne illness. 

This includes nasty bacterial, parasitic and viral infections like salmonella, toxoplasma, listeria, and norovirus – as well as E. coli.

Some 128,000 end up in the hospital because of these bugs – while 3,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Experts and federal health agencies have stated that washing meat before cooking it, overfilling the fridge and storing meat in shallow dishes can lead to food poisoning

Experts and federal health agencies have stated that washing meat before cooking it, overfilling the fridge and storing meat in shallow dishes can lead to food poisoning

Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the most common times of the year for food poisoning cases, with many alerts circulated by the CDC in November over the last two decades. 

And experts say there are many risky behaviors Americans are guilty of doing without noticing.

A common one – washing meat – is a habit performed by around 62 per cent of Americans, according to surveys, which means close to 30 million Thanksgiving diners could be at risk. 

Here, we reveal five crucial tips for warding off food poisoning this holiday season – some of which you’ve likely never even thought of.

1. Wait until the last minute to prepare stuffing

The dry and wet stuffing ingredients can be prepped in advance, but avoid mixing them together until it's time to cook them to avoid contamination

The dry and wet stuffing ingredients can be prepped in advance, but avoid mixing them together until it’s time to cook them to avoid contamination

Stuffing is a mixture of dried bread, herbs and, often, mixed vegetables and meat. It can be served as a side dish or stuffed inside the turkey cavity.

Though convenient, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests not preparing it ahead of time because it’s an ‘excellent medium for bacterial growth’. This is due to it being moist and warm, which increases the chance of bacteria forming. 

Specifically, the body advises avoiding mixing dry and wet ingredients together until it’s time to cook them to avoid contamination.  

The USDA also cautions against stuffing your turkey the night before because, if the bird is cold from the refrigerator, it will take longer for the cavity to reach a safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Below that temperature, the stuffing can grow salmonella or E. coli bacteria.

Also, remember that a stuffed turkey takes 50 percent longer to cook than an unstuffed one. 

2. Don’t thaw the turkey on the counter

Raw meat should be thawed either in the fridge or while submerged in cold water

Raw meat should be thawed either in the fridge or while submerged in cold water

Leaving food out of the fridge for more than two hours can lead to a risky temperature drop, Dr Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert at Northeastern University in Boston and former FDA and USDA food safety advisor, previously told DailyMail.com. 

If the temperature of cooked food rises above 40 degrees F, it enters the ‘danger zone’, which means means it’s at risk of harboring bugs like salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus.

These infections can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and low blood pressure.

To reduce this risk, Dr Detwiler suggested defrosting food in the fridge rather than the counter.

If you’re thawing it in the fridge, the USDA suggests allowing roughly 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. Once it thaws, it can stay in the fridge for one to two days.

Additionally, you can thaw it in cold water, allowing 30 minutes per pound, and submerge the turkey in its original packaging to avoid cross-contamination. 

Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed, then cook immediately. 

3. Put raw meat in a large container – and on the bottom shelf of the fridge  

Thawing meat on a paper towel or plate could allow juices to get on other food

Thawing meat on a paper towel or plate could allow juices to get on other food

If you are thawing meat in the fridge, don’t put it on a plate or shallow dish. This can allow juices from the raw meat to leak and touch other foods, leading to salmonella contamination. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends storing raw meat in a sealed container or large dish with wide and tall sides to trap those juices. 

The agency also suggests putting these containers on the bottom shelf with no food beneath them so if juices do leak, they don’t land on any food. 

If juice leaks, disinfect the area. The CDC recommends wiping the surface with hot, soapy water and then using another wipe with clean water to clear the soap. 

4. Don’t put all your leftovers in the fridge

Too much food in the fridge can block air vents, making it difficult for air to circulate

Too much food in the fridge can block air vents, making it difficult for air to circulate

It’s likely you’ll have lots of leftovers – but try not to stuff too many foods in the fridge. 

Over-filling the shelves can block air vents, making it difficult for air to circulate. This could cause the fridge temperature to reach levels above 40 degrees.

The higher the temperature, the greater the likelihood of moisture, which allows bacteria like salmonella and E. coli to form.  

Overcrowding can also shorten the shelf life of other items like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products since higher temperatures lead to a greater chance of spoiling. 

Consider clearing out as much of the fridge as you can before the big feast to make room or swap some foods to the freezer.

5. Don’t wash meat before cooking it

Washing meat before cooking could cause bacteria to flick on to the surrounding surfaces

Washing meat before cooking could cause bacteria to flick on to the surrounding surfaces

It’s a rule that’s been repeated many times – but experts say it’s always worth reminding the American public.

A recent survey of 1,000 American adults by CouponBirds found 62 percent of them admitted to washing their meat before cooking it. 

But this risks contaminated water splashing off the meat and infecting other surfaces, according to The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Toby Amidor, dietitian and food safety expert in New York City, previously told DailyMail.com: ‘Although folks think rinsing meat may help get rid of some of the bacteria on the meat, it actually increases the risk of contaminating your sink and countertop because everything splashes around.’ 

Data suggests that around 28.7million Americans could be at risk of foodborne illness related to meat washing, given that 46 million turkeys will be consumed this year.

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Post source: Daily mail