During the holiday season one of our favorite habits are meals with our family and friends.

The advice that follows concerns the prevention of foodborne diseases, diseases that are caused by the consumption of contaminated food.

What does EODY propose?

  • Keep food separate
  • Keep meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods in the refrigerator, in containers, or in sealed plastic bags.
  • Store eggs in their original packaging in the refrigerator (not on the refrigerator door).
  • Cook the meat and stuffing thoroughly
  • Set the oven temperature to at least 160 degrees. Place the already thawed meat in the appropriate container.
  • Cooking the stuffing for the turkey in a crockpot ensures that the stuffing will be cooked through. If you are cooking the stuffing inside the turkey, add it just before baking.
  • It is recommended to use a cooking thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the meat and the temperature in the center of the filling reaches 74 degrees.
  • After removing the turkey from the oven, leave the stuffing in the poultry for about 20 minutes.
  • Keep food at safe temperatures.
  • After preparing food, keep it at safe temperatures whether it is hot or cold food.
  • Place leftover food in the refrigerator as soon as possible and within 2 hours of the time the food was prepared. Alternatively refrigerate leftovers within 1 hour if food is exposed to temperatures above 32°C, such as when transported by car.
  • The temperature in the storage of your refrigerator must be set to be less than or equal to 4 degrees Celsius and in the freezer less than or equal to -18 degrees Celsius.

Defrost meat by placing:

  • In a container in the refrigerator
  • In a plastic bag in a sink of cold water (change the water every 30 minutes), or
  • in the microwave, following the manufacturer’s instructions
  • Do not allow meat to thaw on the counter outside the refrigerator. When meat is kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours, bacterial growth is favored. Dangerous temperatures for the proliferation of bacteria are considered to be between 4 and 60 degrees Celsius.
  • Use pasteurized eggs especially if you are going to prepare foods that contain raw eggs.
  • Bacteria such as Salmonella spp. survive both on the outside and inside of normal-looking eggs. Many favorite holiday foods or desserts contain raw eggs (eg eggnog, tiramisu, various Caesar dressings).
  • Do not consume raw yeast.
  • Dough made with flour and/or eggs may contain bacteria, such as Salmonella spp. Do not taste or let your children taste raw dough intended for baking or cooking (eg cookie dough, cookie dough).

Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water:

  • Before, during and after food preparation
  • Before consuming food
  • After handling pet food or contact with pets
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing a diaper or cleaning a child who has used the toilet
  • After contact with waste
  • Before and after patient care
  • Before and after wound care
  • After blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing