New rules for festive food safety

1. Use tangy marinade
Adding vinegar or lemon juice to your marinade could make your meat safer, according to a new study. “Acidic marinades tend to slow the growth of bacteria on meat,” says Melvin Hunt, a professor of food science at Kansas State University. Always marinate meat, chicken and fish in the fridge – not on the kitchen benchtop – to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. 

2. Think temperature for burgers
You can’t rely on colour or texture to indicate “doneness”. In recent studies, factors such as how the beef mince was packaged affected the meat’s colour as it cooked – some patties turned brown before they reached a safe temperature, while others were pink in the middle after thorough cooking. Heat your burger to an internal temperature of 71°C; use a food thermometer.

3. Don’t count on pre-washed salads
Leafy greens (such as lettuce, spinach and cabbage) constitute the riskiest foods. Cut leaves are more vulnerable to bacteria, and the large volume of greens handled together means a higher risk of crosscontamination. Rinse even pre-washed lettuce leaves and other cut greens. And don’t let a bag of lettuce sit around: refrigerate it within two hours of buying, and use it within a week.