Food Safety Tips For Thanksgiving Leftovers

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — For many people, Thanksgiving dinner is the most complicated meal they cook all year — and then there are all those leftovers.

That means there are many opportunities to contaminate food. In the interests of prevention, Patch talked to Michael Pozit, CEO of Food & Alcohol Safety, a consulting and certification firm based in Peekskill. Pozit, who helps food managers and handlers in retail, commercial and healthcare, offered these tips for a safe and happy meal and leftovers.

"What people don't realize is that the vast majority of food in this country is safe and free from pathogens," Pozit said. "Still, we cook things to a minimum temperature to be safe. There's a difference between spoilage and pathogens, which we can't see, smell or taste."

With all that food to prep and serve, it's essential to keep an eye on the time and the temperature to prevent creating a perfect environment for bacteria, he said.

"The danger zone is between 44 and 130 degrees," Pozit said.

Here are some tips from our conversation:

• Cook the turkey right in the first place. If it's stuffed, the stuffing needs to heat to 165 degrees (it's better to cook the stuffing in a casserole so the turkey won't get overcooked).
• Invest in a good food thermometer that can be calibrated.
• Cold food can be left out for up to two hours, a little longer if the room temp is under 70 degrees.
• Food served hot should already be hot before it's put in or on buffet food warmers. They're not strong enough to heat chilled food up to safe temperatures.
• Hot food can stay out on warming trays or plates for two hours as long as the temperature of the food stays above 135 degrees. (Remember it will keep on cooking.)
• Freeze leftovers immediately or use within 3-4 days.
• Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees.
• Don't worry about the cranberry relish — its high acid content will protect it.

For more, check out the CDC's page "Four Steps To Food Safety."