Tips to help prevent food-borne illness this holiday - WHIO Radio

DAYTON — The last thing you want your holiday dinner to be remembered for is making your guests sick. According to the Center for Disease Control, 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne diseases each year.

Culinary professor at Sinclair College Derek Allen shared food safety tips with News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott to help prevent you and your guests from becoming a statistic.

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Before getting started in the kitchen you should thoroughly wash your hands. This includes getting in between your fingers and under your nails, Allen said.

Be aware of any allergies your guests may have, and use a separate area in your kitchen that is clean and sanitized.

One of the most serious issues to consider when preparing a meal is cross-contamination. Cross-contamination occurs when you take anything that may be a raw product or contain harmful bacteria, and transfer that to something that will not have further cooking, according to Allen.

For example, handling raw chicken and then preparing vegetables for a salad without washing your hands.

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Allen also said it's important to check the internal temperature of any meat you are preparing, like that tasty holiday ham, to ensure it is fully cooked.

Lastly, make sure you are handling sharp items, like knives correctly.

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