Kit Leffler/ Jayplay photographer
When your food is out to get you
By Natalie Johnson, Jayplay writer
Crippling diarrhea and body aches aren't normally associated with holiday cheer, but they await you if you don't take the proper precautions. E.coli, Norwalk virus and salmonella are lurking in kuwarm temperatures and unsatisfactory hand-washing, ready to garnish
your table along with Cool-Whip and cheese balls. Here's a quiz to prepare you for bingeing in holiday bliss.
1. You've finished round 1, and now it's time to unbutton your pants and return for more cheese
Quick tips for safety
a. Not if they're kept in the trunk.
b. Only if the ride's more than a
2. Convinced that your college diet consists of dollar wells and Ramen, Mom sends you back to school with a basket full of food. Should the leftovers be in a cooler on the ride back?
Answer: c. Debra Holtzman, author of The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety, says that after two hours, food is more likely to grow bacteria. She recommends that everything from turkey to sweet potato pie to veggie trays be refrigerated after two hours.
1. Heed expiration dates
c. It's been out for less than 2 hours.
3. When reheating leftovers, nuke them 'til they're 165 degrees Farenheit a.k.a. piping-hot.
2. Wash hands before preparing, serving and eating food.
b. It's on ice or heat. Period.
a. You don't need to go running any time soon.
and crackers and a turkey sandwich. It's safe to eat more if:
4. Eat leftovers within two to three days.
Source: Debra Holtzman
couple hours.
c. Coolers are for beer, silly!
Answer:b.Holtzman says putting food in the trunk doesn't ensure that it will remain cold enough to prevent bacteria. She says that as long as the
food is on ice, in a cooler, it should be fine whether you're from Bonner Springs or Chicago.
3. When you see a loved one about to make holiday punch with unpasteurized juice, you should shout
rare, it could be home to millions of dangerous bacterial
a. Only one bottle of vodka? What a douche!
b. Unpasteurized juice? Although
c. It's better if you mix it in the bath-tub. See, we had this party...
6 | Jayplay 12.08.05
to be aware of drink labels. He says that although unpasteurized juice is rare, it does exist and cause illness from bacteria.
4. You're celebrating Hanukkah.The fried food adorns the table, a cornucopia of oily goodness. Is it safe to dive in?
a. Yes.
b. No.
Answer: b. Jeff Walker, Quality Assurance Manager of the Kansas Health Department, says it's just as important
Answer: a. Yes. Jay Lewis, executive director of KU's Hillel House, says typical Hanukkah foods are fried ones, like potato latkes and jelly donut-type pastries called sufganiyot. Walker says that frying foods typically kills any kind of bacteria in them, but that the two-hour rule also applies when clearing them off the table.
5. You're unpacking decorations from last year and come across some ancient candy canes. Are they still safe to eat?
a. Yes, as long as they're in the wrapper
b. Yes, as long as they aren't sprouting eyes
c. After a year? No
c. After a year? No.
Answer: a. Holtzman says that as long as hard candy is still in a wrapper and not moldy, it should be safe to eat. Extra precautions must be taken with chocolate, as it can get moldy, but candy canes are typically safe.
So there you have it: get in all that eating in December, before time runs out and the NewYear's resolutions start rearing their ugly heads. But do it safely. Don't stumble in the fancy dining room at 2 a.m. and polish off the pumpkin pie and veggie tray. Keep them in the fridge and polish them off in the kitchen Remember that drinks should come from pasteurized products, that goes for eggnog as well as juice. And wash your hands.
Common foodborne illnesses and the symptoms
1. Norwalk Virus: spread through improper hand washing. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting.
2. E. coli: typically found in ground beef. Symptoms include diarrhea and stomach cramps.
3. Salmonella: found in poultry, unpasteurized milk or underchlorinated water. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps.
Foodborne illnesses
4. Campylobacter: spread through infected poultry or improper hand washing. Symptoms (if they appear) include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever.
Source: Jeff Walker. National Institute of Health