FOOD, WHICH is a focal point of many celebrations during the Christmas season, can turn out to be a nightmare if some simple rules are not observed. Along the journey from the farm to the table, many rules are often broken which can cause food to be unsafe for consumption. SOME BASIC GUIDELINES 1. Buy wholesome foods, from reputable manufacturers and ensure that you can read the label. Check for the "use by" date; ensure tins are free from dents, bulges and rust. Do not buy soiled or damaged packages. Refrigerated foods should be cold to the touch and frozen foods should be frozen solid. Meats should not have frozen blood juices, a sign that it was allowed to thaw and then refrozen. 2. Transport foods safely, plan your food shopping, make it the last thing on your list or take the food home immediately. It is a good idea when you are buying large quantities of grocery and your commute is long, to take an insulated container in the car for all your refrigerated and frozen foods. 3. Store foods immediately. Thaw meats in the refrigerator - turkey, ham and other large cuts will take a few days to thaw in the refrigerator; do not thaw on the counter. Ensure that meat juices do not drip onto vegetables and other produce. Your refrigerator should be set at 40º F and your freezer at 0º F. 4. At this time of year, refrigerators can get overcrowded. Do not block vents, cover foods properly and immediately freeze what will not be used and monitor temperature. 5. Be conscious of the possibility of transferring bacteria from raw foods to cooked. Have at least two cutting boards, one for your fruits and vegetables and one for meats; they should be sanitised after use and discarded when they have deep cracks, as this harbours unfriendly germs. Wash hands, knives and other utensils after preparing meats and before preparing other ingredients, especially those which will not be cooked. It is best to use disposable kitchen towels, or wash and sanitise cloth towels and change continuously. 6. Meats should be thoroughly cooked, but we often break the rule of having cooked foods sitting for too long. This is dangerous, as bacteria multiply rapidly at the danger zone of 40-140º F. If prepared foods are left sitting for more than two hours, it becomes unsafe. Therefore, monitor those buffets - serve in smaller containers and replenish as is necessary in a clean container. Cold foods such as salads should be placed in an ice bath on the buffet line. Many people in the Caribbean are under the impression that we are not affected by food poisoning as we are tough, but many times it goes unreported, or we do not relate the symptoms to food poisoning. Food-borne illness can be especially dangerous to the very young, old and persons who are already ill, but a "hail and hearty" person can also become violently ill as a result of food-borne illness. When you eat out this season, if foods on the buffet line have been sitting for some time, ask for a fresh portion. For those get-togethers at home, once everybody has eaten, put the salads back in the refrigerator until you are ready for seconds, or some latecomer arrives. Put away excess before the fun starts, or it will be the wee hours of the morning before this is done and way past two hours and dangerous. Stay safe and enjoy your meals in moderation. Reprinted from jamaica-gleaner.com