{"id":4515,"date":"2025-11-19T13:49:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T13:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/chesterfield\/?page_id=4515"},"modified":"2025-11-19T13:49:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T13:49:20","slug":"food-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/chesterfield\/news-releases\/food-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Safety Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chesterfield Health District Shares Food Safety Tips for the Holidays<\/strong>
\nShare the Joy this Holiday, Not the Germs
\n<\/em>
\nThe Thanksgiving holiday season is here! Most holiday festivities have some component of food from family dinners to party appetizers. Chesterfield Health District shares safety and prevention tips to ensure that your holidays are filled with joy, laughter and good tiding, not illnesses.<\/p>\n

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans<\/a> (48 million) get sick from foodborne illness annually. Foodborne illnesses<\/a> usually affect your stomach or bowels. Typical signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Don\u2019t let a foodborne illness put a damper on your holiday celebration.<\/p>\n

Chesterfield Health District shares four key steps to preventing foodborne illness<\/a> \u2013 clean, separate, cook and chill.<\/p>\n

Clean<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Wash Your Hands. Wash your hands<\/a> before and after preparing food or eating and after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Be sure to wash hands after handling uncooked meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs.
\n\u2022 Wash Surfaces. Wash any surface, to include utensils, counters and cutting boards, that comes in contact with food with hot, soapy water before and after preparing each food item.
\n\u2022 Rinse Produce. Rinse all fruits and vegetables<\/a> under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.<\/p>\n

Separate<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Keep Foods Separate. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from other foods when grocery shopping. Store them in separate spots in the refrigerator.
\n\u2022 Avoid Cross Contamination. Avoid cross contamination<\/a> by not reusing cutting boards, utensils and plates, especially with uncooked foods.
\n\u2022 Prevent Germs from Spreading. Do not rinse poultry. Research from USDA<\/a> found that rinsing poultry and raw meat often result in spreading germs on sinks and countertops.<\/p>\n

Cook<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Thaw Food Properly. Thaw frozen food<\/a> safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw turkey<\/a> by leaving it on the counter at room temperature.
\n\u2022 Cook Food Fully. Use a thermometer to ensure that food is cooked to a safe minimal internal temperature<\/a>. Cooking times<\/a> for a turkey depend on the weight and whether it is stuffed.
\n\u2022 Microwave Thoroughly. Microwave ovens can cook food unevenly and leave “cold spots” where harmful bacteria can survive. Follow recommended cooking and standing times<\/a>. Letting food sit for a few minutes allows it to cook more completely.
\n\u2022 Avoid Raw Foods. CDC advises against eating raw foods<\/a>, including uncooked meat, poultry, fish, eggs and flour<\/a>. Raw cookie dough shouldn\u2019t be eaten because it contains eggs and flour.<\/p>\n

Chill<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Set the Temperature. Keep your refrigerator at 40\u00b0F or below and your freezer at 0\u00b0F or below.
\n\u2022 Use the Two-Hour Rule. Refrigerate any leftovers within two hours<\/a>. This rule applies to any food that should normally be refrigerated, including pumpkin pie! Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than two hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
\n\u2022 Store Leftovers Safely. Leftovers can be stored<\/a> in the refrigerator for three to four days or in the freezer for three to four months. Store leftover food in small, shallow containers for quicker cooling.<\/p>\n

If you suspect that more than one person has become ill after eating a common food, please contact Chesterfield Health District at 804-748-1691. You can also visit MyMealDetective.com<\/a> to submit a foodborne illness report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chesterfield Health District Shares Food Safety Tips for the Holidays Share the Joy this Holiday, Not the Germs The Thanksgiving holiday season is here! Most holiday festivities have some component of food from family dinners to party appetizers. 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