By Clint Thompson
Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and fellowship. Getting sick is never part of the equation this time of year. That is why food safety should be prioritized.
More food is being prepared for more people, emphasizes Keith Schneider, a food safety professor in the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) food science and human nutrition department.
“The last thing you want to do during a family get-together is to make everybody sick. You’re preparing, typically, more food than you normally would, which increases the chance of making a mistake,” Schneider said. “Food is left out for longer than it normally would. For special holiday dinners like the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, food safety is super important.
“One, there’s more room for you to make mistakes; and two, there’s probably going to be more people around. The number of people that are going to be affected is probably going to be bigger. I think food safety is really important.”
Put Away Food in Timely Manner
With food safety a top priority, people should remember to put away food and leftovers in a timely manner. Families usually relocate to the living room or den area to watch football or outside to talk after Thanksgiving Day lunch or supper and can easily forget to put foods in storage containers or store in a refrigerator after it has been cooked. There is a timeframe to how long foods can stay out before being put away.
“There are dozens of different meals, and each one of them has their own safe zone. The USDA chooses the worst-case scenario, and they put a time limit. What they recommend is put your leftovers or you store your leftovers after they’ve been out for no more than two hours,” Schneider said.
“Certain foods can be left out longer and certain foods you may want sooner depending on how hot it is outside, especially if you’re having a picnic outside. The general rule is a two-hour time period.”