Thanksgiving food safety tips

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is sharing food safety tips for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Tips include:

• Put away all groceries in a refrigerator/freezer as soon as you get home from shopping. You should have a thermometer in your refrigerator to ensure the temperature is maintained at 41ºF or colder.
• Allow about 24 hours to thaw every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey in a refrigerator.
• Always wash your hands carefully with soap and water before handling food and after handling raw meats or using the bathroom.
• Cook meats thoroughly (until juices run clear). Beef, veal, lamb and fish to at least 145ºF. Ground beef, veal, lamb and fish to at least 155ºF. Turkey, chicken and other poultry and stuffed foods to at least 165ºF.
• Don’t let room temperature foods stay out longer than two hours. Use all leftover foods within three to four days.
• If you are preparing food, make sure you are in good health. Do not handle food if you have had vomiting or diarrhea in the previous 72 hours.

For more tips, click here.