Don't Let Food Poisoning Spoil Holiday Parties
Holiday foods should be handled safely to ensure that guests don't go home with a case of food poisoning as everyone is looking forward to having a great time and lots of good food at holiday parties.
One of the problems with holiday parties is that foods are often left at room temperature for long periods of time. Meat, poultry, or dairy products can be especially risky if not kept hot or cold as necessary during the party.
Holiday parties need to be planned ahead of time, giving thought to how foods can be kept safe. Hot foods can be kept hot in chafing dishes, roasters, or slow cookers. Cold dishes can be kept on ice or in insulated dishes. One way to keep foods safe is to put out only small platters or bowls and replenish them as needed. When refilling the serving dishes, those dishes should be replaced and filled with fresh food, instead of adding fresh food to the same tray that was used for serving.
Leaving any perishable foods out at room temperature for people to nibble on throughout a party is an invitation for food poisoning. Regardless of the event, no perishable foods should be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Any foods left longer at room temperature should be thrown away.
Reference:
"Hosts reminded to not let food poisoning spoil holiday parties," Salem Times-Commoner, Rachelle Hollinshead, December 2008.
