Last month, more than 700 people got sick, 31 were
hospitalized and
one died after a church fund-raising supper in Maryland. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe improper
handling
and storage of a ham dish served at the supper was the culprit.
On the heels of this holiday tragedy, food scientists at the
University
of Georgia urge people to handle food properly to avoid
foodborne illnesses.
“The holiday season is a time for gatherings,” said Elizabeth
Andress, a food safety specialist with the UGA College
of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Americans like to share
food along
with their good times and celebrations. But without using proper
handling
rules, you could share foodborne illness with your family and
friends.”
According to news reports, the church supper in Maryland had
been held
for 30 years with no trouble. Luck ran out this year because of
improper
preparation of a ham dish found to contain Salmonella heidelberg.
“All signs point to a complex stuffed ham dish made with
vegetables,
ham and spices as the culprit,” said Andress. “It was a
community specialty
dish that is pickled to make corned ham.”
Andress said the dish requires the preparer to slice pockets
in the
ham and stuff the pockets with a mixture of kale, cabbage, onion
and spices.
Preparers began making the dish Wednesday before the Sunday
dinner,
Andress said. The hams were stuffed Wednesday, stored in
refrigerated trailers
over night and cooked Thursday. The dish was then refrigerated
until Sunday’s
dinner.
“This case points out that dangers of foodborne illness
increase when
food is prepared days ahead of time, is stored between
preparation and
cooking, and is prepared by many different people,” Andress
said. “This
is also an example that shows years of practice and experience
don’t necessarily
make something safe to do.”
Symptoms of Salmonellosis include cramping, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea,
dehydration and fever. The symptoms generally last three to four
days and
can take up to 72 hours to appear. Severe cases often develop in
children,
the elderly or people with weakened immune systems. The death in
Maryland
case was an elderly woman.
UGA food specialists say following the basic rules of good
food handling
should prevent foodborne illnesses from showing up at your
holiday gatherings.
Wash your hands before and during food preparation.
Defrost frozen meats, poultry and fish inside your
refrigerator at
or below 40 degrees. If you use your microwave to defrost, be
sure to thoroughly
cook food immediately after defrosting.
Avoid cross-contamination. Clean and sanitize food preparation
surfaces
after exposure to raw meats, poultry, fish or eggs. Wash hands,
kitchen
work spaces and utensils as soon as they contact contaminated
foods. Use
separate cutting boards and knives for vegetables and meats.
Never return cooked foods to dishes they were placed on when
raw.
Cook ground beef and other meats, poultry and eggs thoroughly.
Use a thermometer
to determine the done point of meats and poultry.
Store foods properly and promptly after cooking to minimize
bacteria growth.
Use shallow storage containers and divide food into small
quantities that
will cool quickly.
If foods are to remain hot after thorough cooking, keep them
above 140
degrees F. If you need to cool them, do so in the refrigerator
at 40 degrees
F or below. Use insulated carriers to transport hot or cold
foods to parties.
Don’t keep perishable foods within the danger zone of 40 to 140
degrees
F for more than two hours.
Use proper serving dishes for foods that must be kept hot, and
make sure
heat sources keep food at or above 140 degrees F.
Provide proper serving utensils for all foods so party-goers
don’t have
to use their fingers to pick up hors d’oerves.
Be wary of saving leftover food that has been at room
temperature for more
than two hours.
