Five Ways to Prevent Food Poisoning for the Holidays

 Posted on December 10, 2019 in Food Poisoning

You will likely enjoy multiple large meals with family and friends this holiday season – even before the traditional Christmas Day feast. Unfortunately, there is always the chance that something you eat will cause you to become sick from food poisoning. No one wants to spend the holidays dealing with stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or other food poisoning symptoms. As the host of a meal or preparer of a dish, you could be liable if others get food poisoning from the food that you served. Here are five tips for avoiding food poisoning at holiday meals:

1. Check for Food Recalls: Food producers and sellers are sometimes the ones who are liable for their products containing bacteria or other contaminants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service may issue a recall on a product if food poisoning cases are believed to be connected to the product or there is a reason to believe that the product has been contaminated. Do a simple internet search on food product recalls in case you purchased a product that has been recalled.
2. Thawing Your Turkey: It can take a while to thaw a frozen turkey, and thawing it in the wrong way will give time for bacteria to grow inside it. The safe ways to thaw a turkey are in a microwave, a refrigerator, or a sink filled with cold water that you change every half an hour.
3. Use Food Thermometers: Meat, seafood, and eggs need to be fully cooked in order to kill harmful germs. The FDA has minimum temperatures that these foods should reach for them to be safe to eat. Do not guess that your food has been cooked long enough. Use a meat thermometer to check its temperature.
4. Keep Food Heated or Refrigerated: Bacteria can start growing in food if you let it sit out for a couple of hours at room temperature. If you have finished cooking food that you plan to serve later, you should either immediately refrigerate it at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or keep it hot at a temperature above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Clean While You Cook: The bacteria from preparing raw meat can contaminate other foods if you are not careful to sterilize your hands and any surface that may have come in contact with the meat. Use soap and warm water before and after preparing each dish.

Contact a Chicago Food Poisoning Lawyer

If you have become seriously ill from food poisoning, you may need monetary compensation for your medical expenses and related costs. You may not like the idea of filing a lawsuit against a family member or close friend, but you may be able to deal with an insurance company instead if you ate the contaminated food at someone’s home and the host has home owner’s insurance. It is also possible that a food company was responsible for your poisoning. An Illinois food poisoning attorney at Newland & Newland, LLP, can advise you on your options for obtaining compensation. To schedule a consultation, call 312-981-0409.

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holidays.html