PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Thanksgiving brings family and friends to the dinner table, but unwelcome guests could spoil your meal if you aren’t careful.
To keep everyone safe, Rosemary Trout, a Drexel associate professor of Food Science, says make sure you wash your hands a lot with hot, soapy water.
“Not just for your hands but for your countertops. You want to make sure to wash in between preparing different types of items,” Trout said. Especially the turkey — be mindful of surfaces and utensils that come in contact with the raw bird.
As for serving the meal, Trout says don’t forget about the two hour rule. Bacteria has a better chance of surviving and spreading in food that’s left out at room temperature after two hours.
So, if the food is going to be out for a while, she says to keep the hot stuff hot (above 135 degrees) and the cold stuff cold (below 41 degrees).
“Use burners, boiling water to put your chafing dishes in, and then maintain the temperature. For cold food, you want to keep things on ice if possible.”
And if you have a lot of guests, be sure to switch out those serving utensils frequently.
For leftovers, Trout says they should be okay for 2-3 days if stored properly in the refrigerator. When reheating, she says the food should reach 165 degrees. Food that is frozen will be at its best quality anywhere from 2-6 months. Foods that are high in sugar have a longer shelf life.
“Something like cranberry sauce, maybe you have more leeway because it’s super acidic, it’s really tart, it has some things in there that help to limit the growth of pathogens including a lot of sugar,” Trout said.