Stay Safe from Food Poisoning this Fall

 Posted on October 31, 2016 in Food poisoning attorney

Every season has its traditional foods. In the winter, many people opt for carb-heavy, stick-to-your-ribs meals like baked pastas and stews. In the spring, picnic foods often become popular, followed by barbecue and frozen treats in the summer. Autumn is no different. For many Americans, the fall is the season of apples and apple products, Halloween candy, and an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner.

When you plan your fall celebrations this year, keep food safety in mind. Although you cannot control how food purchased from restaurants and food served at celebrations hosted by others was handled and prepared, you can take steps to reduce the chance of anybody contracting food poisoning from entrees and snacks that leave your kitchen.

Even Packaged Candy Can Be Dangerous

If you are a parent, you probably know to check your children's Halloween candy thoroughly after they bring it in from a night of trick-or-treating. Although this is often suggested as a way to eliminate candy that has been tampered with, it is also a way to get rid of any candy that appears to be spoiled or contaminated with foreign material. Candy with torn or damaged wrappers should be tossed in the trash, as should homemade goods like brownies or cookies. Although it can be a nice gesture to make homemade treats for trick-or-treaters, there is no way for a parent to know how the ingredients and treats were handled and stored in their maker's kitchen.

In many cases, the expiration date on a package of candy is on the large bag, rather than the individually-wrapped pieces given out. It can be difficult to tell if candy is past its expiration date, but be on the lookout for anything that is discolored or smells strange, especially with chocolate items.

Proper Sanitation and Storage Can Keep Your Family Safe

If you are serving Thanksgiving dinner this year, you are probably planning to serve turkey. To ensure that the turkey is cooked through and that it does not pose a food poisoning hazard to you or your guests, cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

After the meal is finished, pack up and store leftovers in a timely manner. Getting them into the refrigerator quickly reduces the amount of time they spend in the “danger zone,” temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees that foster the growth of harmful pathogens.

Apples and pumpkins are popular fall staples. If they are part of your fall meal plans, take care to wash them thoroughly and avoid cross-contamination between these and other foods. Produce can carry harmful bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella.

Work with an Experienced Mundelein Food Poisoning Lawyer

If you or your child have suffered from food poisoning and experienced significant damages as a result, consider working with one of the experienced food poisoning lawyers on our team at Newland & Newland, LLP to pursue a personal injury claim. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas from our office located in Chicago.

(image courtesy of TheCulinaryGeek from Chicago, USA)