The following is a list of steps to guide you in having a safe office party.

1. Plan ahead. If the party is catered, use a licensed caterer. If it will be potluck, clean out the refrigerator because you will probably need extra refrigeration and freezer space. The air temperature should be at 45^oF. for a refrigerator and 0^oF. for a freezer. Prepared party platters from a deli should be refrigerated until serving time. Do not plan to keep food cold by leaving meats or salads in the trunk of a car. Insulated coolers with ice or cold packs can keep salads and meats cold for a few hours.

2. Purchase only commercially made food or fresh raw ingredients. Shop for the food on or as close to the day of the party as possible. Pick up ready-to-eat hot or cold food as close to serving time as possible.

3. Wash your hands with hot soapy water before starting food preparation and serving activities. The restroom is the place to wash hands, not prepare food.

4. Cook food thoroughly, and keep it above 140^oF until it is served. If this is not possible, you could precook, chill, and reheat a hot dish just before serving it. Just be sure that an oven or microwave oven will be available. Perishable food should be reheated to a minimum of 165^oF. before serving.

5. Serve the hot food hot and the cold food cold. If you will serve the food buffet style, and do not have the equipment to keep the food at the proper temperatures, limit the serving time to two hours or less. After perishable food has been at room temperature for 2 hours or more it should be discarded. Giving leftover party food to a homeless shelter is a nice idea if the food has been handled safely and is still wholesome.

6. Provide enough serving and eating utensils. Have extras in case they are dropped on the floor. Also, this should minimize hand cont act with the food and double dipping.

7. Saving leftovers for a snack or lunch the next day could be risky. Before saving leftovers, consider the ingredients, and how long the food was at room temperature. If leftover perishable food is to be saved, it should not be held at room temperature for over 2 hours, and should be refrigerated immediately after serving. It seems wasteful to throw food away, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

For more information contact the FDA web site at http://www.fightbac.org/consumers/.