You probably have a long to-do list for the holidays. But, is food safety on that list? For many people, food safety is not a thought until they or someone they know gets foodborne illness from consuming contaminated food or beverages. And how quickly the “holiday cheer” can turn to “holiday misery.”

Classic symptoms of foodborne illness are vomiting, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms which can begin hours or days after contaminated food or beverages are consumed.

Before you start chopping, dicing, mixing, baking, and cooking, take a moment to consider the importance of handling food safely to prevent contamination.

The good news is that there are four basic steps of food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill, that can help prevent foodborne illness.

Check out these Four Core Principles of Food Safety.

Clean: Cleanliness is the foundation of safe food preparation in the home.

Separate: Prevent cross-contamination of bacteria from one food to another by keeping raw and cooked food separate.

Cook: Make sure food is thoroughly cooked to the proper minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. For safety it is recommended to use a food thermometer to check doneness.

Chill: Refrigerate foods promptly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can multiply at room temperature.

Do it today! Move Food Safety to the top of your list and be food safe this holiday season.

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