Holiday Food Safety

My guests are late! What should I do with the food?

Holding prepared food safely

Traveling with Turkey?

Turkey on the go - Q & A

SAFE HOLIDAY FOOD GIFTS:

Mailing:

• Make sure the food is frozen solid or refrigerator cold.
• Use an insulated cooler or a heavy corrugated box packed with a frozen gel-pack, or purchase dry ice for keeping food cold.
• Alert the recipient and arrange a mutually-agreeable delivery date.
• Properly label the package "Perishable--Keep Refrigerated" on the outside, and provide a complete mailing address and phone number to ensure proper delivery.
• Ship your package by overnight delivery.

Note: Don't send food to someone's workplace. The food could be accidentally left at the office or in the trunk of a car. It's safer to send food directly to the home, but make sure that someone will be home to receive the "surprise."

Receiving:

• Open the package upon arrival.
• Make sure the food is still refrigerator cold.
• Immediately refrigerate or freeze the food.

Note: Perishable food must arrive cold to be safe. If it is not cold, do not eat it, and notify the shipper. Remember, it's the shipper's responsibility to deliver perishable foods on time, but it's the customer's responsibility to have someone at home to receive the package.

Source: Fight BAC Campaign

Back to Environmental Health Main Page