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Proper Food Handling
Sunday, September 11, 2005

By Christina VanGinkel

We attended a birthday party this afternoon for a friends little girl who turned four years old. The weather station had been calling for a high in the 90s, even though fall is well on its way in our neck of the woods. She had planned to cook a somewhat elaborate dinner, with food on the grill and corn on the cob, until the high temperatures were forecasted. She instead decided to go with an assortment of cold sandwiches and salads, along with fresh cut watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes. It ended up being one of the best layouts of foods one could have on such a hot afternoon.

To make sure that the heat did not adversely affect the food, she kept everything refrigerated until right before serving. As soon as we were all done eating, things were again promptly refrigerated. Too often, people become lax with this important fact of handling food during hot or even warm temperatures towards the end of the summer. It is important to stay ever vigilant in safe food handling no matter the weather or time of year.

Safe food handling is often brushed aside when we are in a hurry, or tired, or just plain short on time. With the modern conveniences afforded most of us in our kitchens, none of these are valid excuses. Why am I all of a sudden so aware of this topic? I made the mistake of not taking proper care with the handling of leftovers, and after my husband and I ate them, we became violently sick within a relatively short span of time. I have no one to blame but myself, and we were both lucky as we recovered quickly and with no lasting damage. Thankfully, we did not give any of the food to our young grandson, as small children are even more susceptible to illness from improper food handling than your average adult, as are the elderly or someone who is dealing with a health issue.

Common sense can prevent nearly every case of food borne illness. Do not let food thaw at room temperature, refrigerate leftovers in clean containers as soon as possible. If there is any questions, as to how long something has sat out, throw it out, as it is not worth the risk, take my word for it. Use clean materials, such as throwaway paper toweling, to clean countertops. Use disinfectants sparingly, so as not to become reliant on them to keep your kitchen surfaces clean. Never wipe up juices from meats and fish and then use the same rag or toweling to wipe another surface. I find it easier to use paper toweling that can be immediately tossed after wiping up such spills, so there is never a risk of spreading germs associated with raw meats and fish. Never cut up vegetables or other foods that are going to be consumed raw on the same area that you just cut up raw meat or fish.

I am sure there are even more rules to follow for staying healthy in your kitchen, and I plan on looking them up and posting them somewhere prominent in my kitchen as a daily reminder of what to do and not do for proper food preparation and handling. We at least are doing fine, but it was still bad enough that I never want to take the chance of bringing on such an illness again.

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