Keep your New Year's snacks safe

With New Year’s Eve celebrations just around the corner, it’s important to remember food safety tips to keep friends and families safe.

It is often popular to have buffet style snack tables for such gatherings and special thought needs to be given to such presentations.

Always use separate cutting boards for fresh cut vegetables and fruit than you use for meat and poultry to avoid cross contamination.

For buffets, be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold by using warming dishes and ice bowls. Also, place smaller portions of foods out on the table and refill platters and bowls frequently to keep foods at their proper temperatures.

Eggnog and apple cider
Eggnog is a holiday classic, but homemade recipes often call for raw eggs, which can carry Salmonella. To keep your eggnog safe:

• Use pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, which have been treated to kill bacteria.
• If using regular eggs, cook the egg mixture to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
• Refrigerate eggnog promptly after preparing it.

Adding alcohol to eggnog does not kill bacteria, so it’s not a substitute for proper cooking or pasteurized eggs.

Apple cider served during the holidays can pose risks if unpasteurized. Unpasteurized cider may contain harmful bacteria like E. coli. Look for cider labeled as pasteurized or boil unpasteurized cider before serving it to kill any bacteria.

Avoiding dangerous holiday dishes
Some regional holiday dishes, such as “Tiger Meat” or “Cannibal Sandwiches,” feature raw ground beef. These dishes are dangerous and can lead to E. coli infections. Always cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F before serving it. Similarly, avoid tasting raw cookie dough or cake batter, as both flour and eggs can harbor harmful pathogens.

Four steps to food safety
The USDA recommends following the four basic food safety principles year-round to protect against foodborne illness:

1. Clean: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces often.
2. Separate: Keep raw meat and poultry away from ready-to-eat foods.
3. Cook: Use a food thermometer to ensure food is cooked to the proper temperature.
4. Chill: Refrigerate or freeze food promptly to prevent bacterial growth.

Handling leftovers safely
Holiday leftovers are often just as cherished as the main meal itself, but they must be handled with care to avoid foodborne illness. The USDA recommends refrigerating leftovers within two hours of cooking to prevent bacterial growth.

Follow these tips to safely store and reheat leftovers:

• Divide leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator. Avoid leaving large dishes of food at room temperature.
• Consume refrigerated leftovers within four days. If you plan to keep them longer, freeze them, where they’ll remain safe indefinitely but maintain the best quality for two to six months.
• Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before eating. Use a food thermometer to ensure even reheating, especially in the microwave. Soups, gravies and sauces should be brought to a rolling boil.