The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) realized that food safety is important during the holiday party season. Therefore, the USDA posted a video to give safety advice that can help prevent food-borne illness from running your buffet.
The basic recommendations are:
– wash your hands, cutting surfaces and utensils
– separately handle raw and cooked foods not to cross-contaminate
– cook to the right temperature, 165°F (74°C) for poultry and casseroles, 160°F (71°C) for ground meat; 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest time for beef, pork, veal and lamb
– then do the opposite: chill, because food should be refrigerated within two hours after preparation
Transportation should be done in a cooler, if possible.