With my last two articles on the subject of microbes, I thought that I would issue a warning about those many food buffets that you will soon be exposed to during the holidays. Left out too long on the serving table or exposed to contamination during the preparation process, those delicious dishes might just make you and your relatives or friends very sick during the holidays!
Hundreds of germs, among which are the most common Salmonella and Campylobacter species, as well as noroviruses and enteroviruses, are waiting for you in tainted food. Harvard Health Letter (November 2015) cautions us that food sitting out on the table for two hours or more can cause conditions for harmful bacteria to multiply. Dr. David Bellinger, a Harvard Medical School professor, prompts us, “If you eat those foods, that can lead to food-borne infection and hospitalization, because live microbes have been ingested.” You can reheat meals and place them out later, providing that they then are steaming hot in order to kill germs.
For those cooking and preparing food dishes during the months of November and December, here are some helpful tips from both the Harvard newsletter and abouthealth.com (Ingrid Koo, PhD. Infectious Diseases Expert).
(1). Wash hands and surfaces, often with hot, soapy water. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and counter tops. A strong warning comes from Harvard’s newsletter: “Do not use the same utensils for cooked foods that you used for the raw foods; if you don’t wash your hands after touching raw food or after going to the bathroom; or if you touch any surface that came in contact with raw food, and then handle the cooked food.” Use preferred disposable towels to clean all of these surfaces. Cloth towels can build up with bacteria; they will need to be washed often.
(2). Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables under a strong running tap water faucet. Because these food items come from plants that are grown in the soil and can be sprayed with fertilizer, they are often contaminated with E. coli. This process includes the washing of skins and rinds not eaten that can transfer microbes with the help of the knife cutting into the fruits’ and vegetables’ surfaces.
(3). Don’t cross-contaminate raw meats and juices and ready-to-eat foods. Dr. Koo informs us that while most germs can’t survive high temps, and are killed during heating, “Raw or undercooked meats (and their juices) can be a major source of infectious disease because they provide a nutrient-and moisture-rich source for microbial growth.” Therefore, use separate cutting boards for fresh and raw meats. The USDA recommends no washing of meat before cooking it due to the fact that some bacteria types can’t be washed off. The result might be that bacteria could be splashed onto counter tops and other kitchen surfaces in this manner. Also, don’t reuse dishes that held raw meats or eggs with the idea that hot, cooked meals will destroy all microbes. There always is a possibility that the cooking process does not destroy all of the contaminants. Dr. Bellinger states, “People think that pathogens can’t live very long on surfaces, but the recent data suggest that they can remain for days.”
(4). Cook foods to proper temperatures by using a food thermometer: roasts, steaks, and fish should be cooked to at least 145 degrees, poultry (thickest part of the flesh) to 165 degrees, and ground meat to 160 degrees. When reheating sauces, soups, gravy, and other leftovers, use boiling temperatures to 165 degrees. When foods are undercooked (especially meat, poultry, and seafood), our Harvard paper tells us, “The bacteria may survive, leaving unsuspecting diners to consume the microbes.”
(5). When using a microwave for heating a food item, be sure to stir and rotate food often for even killing of microbes.
(6). Don’t use recipes that call for raw or only partially cooked eggs. Bacteria can grow on the inside surface of eggshells.
(7). Chill food promptly. Set your refrigerator to 40 degrees or below and your freezer to 0 degrees or below. ***Remember to throw out refrigerated foods on a regular basis: luncheon meats and cooked foods after 3 to 4 days; ground beef or sausage or raw poultry after 2 days. When fruits and vegetables become wilted or slimy, ditch them.
(8). Defrost food in the refrigerator, under cold water, or in the microwave. NEVER defrost edibles at room temps where germs can grow.
(9). Foods should be marinated in the refrigerator where germ growth slows or stops.
