RICHMOND —
No one wants to spend the holiday weekend dealing with a food-related illness, so the Madison County Health Department is reminding residents to follow basic food-safety guidelines while preparing their Thanksgiving feasts and saving the leftovers.
“While we frequently associate food poisoning with restaurants or prepared foods, the fact is that we are just as likely to come across contaminated foods that have been prepared in the home kitchen,” said Christie Green, Madison County Health Department spokesperson.
Food temperature
• Never defrost a turkey or any type of meat on the counter.
“We should thaw frozen meats in the refrigerator, which requires extra time and advance planning,” Green said. “It’s tempting to just let them thaw on the counter because it’s quicker, but that increases the chances of harmful bacteria growing.”
• Avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen. This can be a big challenge when working together with a lot of cooks in a crowded kitchen, Green noted.
“Keeping raw meats and eggs separate from ready-to-eat foods like cheeses and fresh vegetables during preparation is very important,” Green said.
Using separate cutting boards for raw meats and thoroughly washing the boards and utensils between uses on different foods is important for cutting down on cross-contamination. E. coli and salmonella are two types of illness-causing bacterium that can be transferred from raw meat to other foods.
• Wash your hands often, especially after handling raw meat and eggs.
“We can never say too much about hand washing,” Green said. “Germs on hands can linger to contaminate other foods.”
• Make sure your meat is well-cooked. While there’s many ways to cook a turkey and other holiday main course meats, use a food thermometer to make sure the dishes are being cooked at the proper temperature. Do not just rely on color or texture.
“The internal temperature should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” Green said about cooking a turkey.
The internal temperature should be taken at the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, according to the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s website www.holidayfoodsafety.org.
• Eat, freeze or discard your leftovers within three to four days. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers within two hours of the dishes being set out for the big meal.
“Once the feast is served and everyone has had their fill, the leftovers should be refrigerated rather than left out at room temperature where bacteria can grow faster,” Green said.
The Partnership for Food Safety Education advises “when in doubt, throw it out.”
Sarah Hogsed can be reached at shogsed@
richmondregister.com
or 624-6694.
Local News
Health department offers food safety tips for holiday feasts
- Local News
-
-
State champs get their rings at YMCA breakfast
Two months may have passed, but Madison County continues to celebrate the state basketball championship won by the Madison Central boys team.
Team members were presented championship rings while their cheerleaders received pendants Saturday morning during a breakfast at the Telford YMCA attended by nearly 300. -
Sand artist, pastry chef wow audience at cake expo
Joe Castillo dazzled audiences while performing at Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for the Arts Saturday during the Grace with Taste Cake Expo.
Castillo, along with pastry chef Stella Parks, were the entertainment acts at the expo early in the afternoon. -
District urges students to ‘PowerMyLearning’ through the summer
Sixteen little penguins need help jumping from iceberg to iceberg as a hungry killer whale swims menacingly in the chilly water below.
The fate of the poor little penguins lies in the hands of a third-grade student, who must quickly find the answer to a math equation to lead the penguins to safety. -
Vietnam vets mark Armed Forces Day
In the 1960s and ‘70s, when many campuses around the country were the scene of anti-war riots and demonstrations, Eastern Kentucky University was naming buildings and streets for its alumni who had died fighting for their country.
-
GREAT bridges gap between cops, preteens
Bridging the gap between public misconceptions about police officers and the reality of what’s behind the uniform can be a daunting task. But, a growing program at Madison County middle schools is helping break down those barriers.
-
Exit 95 rebuild delayed until 2017
Originally scheduled for 2014, the reconstruction of Exit 95 on Interstate 75 won’t take place until 2017, Madison Judge/Executive Kent Clark told a joint meeting of the Richmond and Berea chambers of commerce Friday.
The state Transportation Cabinet is delaying the project, Clark said, until a decision is made on the proposed highway that would run from Exit 95 to Nicholasville. -
Toyota bornlearning Academy graduates parents
Seven graduates received their certificates Thursday night, but not with the customary rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
It was a celebration of the parents’ six-month journey with the Toyota bornlearning Academy at Berea Community School.
The academy works with parents and caregivers of children from prenatal to 5 years old on ways to turn everyday moments into learning opportunities. -
Caudill Middle School student showcase
Members of the Caudil Middle School Jazz Band entertain the crowd during the school's end of year student showcase Thursday.
-
Man arrested Friday after early morning break-in
Richmond police made an arrest Friday in connection with an early morning break-in at Jack’s Cleaners on West Water Street.
Scott Hobbs, 42, of McKee, was charged with first-degree burglary, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock
At 3:25 a.m., a witness reported seeing a man enter and exit the cleaners through a broken window and drive away, Brock stated in a news release. -
Grand jury indicts inmates in jail assault
Two inmates at the Madison County Detention Center were indicted Wednesday on charges related to the beating of another prisoner.
A Madison grand jury indicted 28-year-old Justin Morgan Howell and 26-year-old Lucas Wayne Shanks on charges of second-degree assault, second-degree escape and second-degree persistent felony offenders. - More Local News Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
