The Dallas County Public Health Department is encouraging people to take precautions when cooking and storing food while at different holiday gatherings. 

DCPH Health Navigation Coordinator Ann Cochran says the keys to food safety begin with cleanliness and temperature. Cochran notes that washing hands before and after the food preparation stages are a critical part of cleanliness while also cleaning your hands during the serving process. 

“Offer a hand-washing station for your guests that’s away from the food preparation area. So you don’t want a bunch of folks congregating at your kitchen sink right while you’re cooking. But you do want to encourage them to go ahead and wash their hands before they eat.”

She says hot foods should be cooked internally at a temperature of 160 degrees or over and colder food should be kept at 40 degrees or below. 

“The only way you really know the temperature is by using a food thermometer. So go ahead and get one ready to use. If a dish is starting to stray from that ideal temperature, either stick it in the refrigerator or heat it back up again.”

 

Cochran notes that leftover food is safe to consume within four days if kept in the refrigerator.