Thanksgiving food safety tips. Don’t forget to properly thaw turkey according to the package directions in order to avoid harmful food-borne illnesses. Also, be sure to promptly refrigerate holiday leftovers. Foods left unrefrigerated longer than 2 hours may become harmful due to bacteria growth. Place foods in shallow containers for faster cooling; deep containers retain heat longer and may not cool quickly enough to prevent bacterial growth. Be sure to stack and store foods, in the refrigerator, in a method that allows the cold air to circulate and cool foods to a proper temperature between 32˚F and 40˚F.
Most foods can be frozen, but again, allow the foods to cool, then place in a shallow container for freezing. Ideal freezer temperatures vary from 0˚F to -10˚F to prevent bacterial growth. Happy Thanksgiving!