Canada may be a cold country, but homes are centrally heated and food kept too long outside the refrigerator can go bad and make people sick. During the holiday season people often lay out foods buffet-style at parties or family gatherings, and food safety experts say they need to be careful the temperature of the food doesn’t rise high enough for bacteria to grow.
Turkey is often served at Christmas and experts say it is important to follow cooking directions to avoid food-borne illnesses. A frozen bird must be thawed in the fridge and cooked thoroughly to 85 degrees C (185 F). Stuffing cooked inside the turkey must reach a minimum of 74 C (165 F). Experts actually suggest it be cooked outside the bird.
Use clean cutting boards, utensils, hands
Cross contamination can happen when cutting boards, utensils or hands contact raw meat and are not carefully washed before being used with other foods.
The Canadian government estimates there are about four million cases of food-borne illnesses in Canada each year,caused by micro-organisms ranging from E. coli, and listeria monocytogenes to salmonella and the marine toxins found in bivalve shellfish.
They may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and rarely in Canada, death. Particularly at risk are pregnant women, the very young and very old, and those with a compromised immune system.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.