Guardian Flight Offers Safety Advice to Help Prevent a Disaster at the Dinner Table 

Gathering around the table and partaking in a holiday meal is a tradition for so many American families. However, food-borne illness can become an issue if proper precautions aren’t followed when preparing the holiday feast.

“No one wants to spend their holiday being seen by a healthcare provider for food poisoning,” says Matt Strauss, regional director for Guardian Flight. “With a few simple precautions, you can easily host a large gathering without any worry.”

Guardian Flight suggests party hosts follow these tips to help prevent food-related illness this holiday season:

• Separate foods. Items like raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs should be stored separately from other foods in the refrigerator.
• Thoroughly cook food. Raw and undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can carry germs that cause food poisoning. Use a food-safe thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe, internal temperature.
• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Bacteria can grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F. Once food is prepared, make sure to keep it at an appropriate temperature.
• Don’t eat raw dough or batter. If making a dough or batter that contains eggs, do not consume it before it is fully cooked. Eggs can contain harmful germs like E. coli and Salmonella.
• Thaw frozen turkeys the right way. One can safely thaw a turkey 24-48 hours ahead of cooking by placing it in a refrigerator. Or safely thaw a turkey in a sink of cold water by changing the water out every 30-minutes.
• Practice good hand hygiene. When in the kitchen preparing meals, or before sitting down to dinner, make sure to wash one’s hands with soap and water.

To learn more about preventing food-related illness this Thanksgiving, click here.