Idaho’s Panhandle Health District is offering a few tips for avoiding foodborne illness during the holidays.

Wash Hands Often - Prevent the spread of bacteria by washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water following restroom use, before preparing foods, after handling raw meat and before eating.

Keep Surfaces Clean and Separated - Bacteria from raw meat can spread onto cutting boards, knives, dishes and counter tops, so be sure to wash and sanitize food-contact surfaces often.

Take Temperatures - Cook your turkey until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees. Use a food thermometer to make sure that temperature is reached.

Store Leftovers Properly – For serving, cooked, hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or higher, and cold foods should be kept at 41 degrees of lower. Store leftover food in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours of serving it. Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within three to four days. Use leftover gravy within a day or two.

Feeling Ill? Let Someone Else Do the Cooking – If you recently experienced cold symptoms, vomiting or diarrhea, avoid the kitchen as much as possible. Many foodborne illnesses are often transmitted unknowingly by food preparers with these symptoms.

Questions? Contact the PHD’s Environmental Health Specialists at (208) 415-5220.

On the Web: http://panhandlehealthdistrict.org.

Additional information on food safety is also available by phone at the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Information Line: 1 888-SAFEFOOD (723-3366).

The PHD isn’t the only agency offering safety tips for the holidays. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is encouraging home cooks to “Stand By Your Pan.”

According to the CPSC, kitchen fires caused by unattended cooking are the top cause of fires in the home, and the threat is three times greater on Thanksgiving.

On the Web: www.cpsc.gov.

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