Great food is an eagerly anticipated ingredient of holiday celebrations. When you're planning a spectacular menu and inviting friends and relatives to partake, you want to be certain that the food is safe as well as delicious.
Safety actually begins with processing.
The USDA requires a comprehensive poultry inspection system, which relies heavily on chlorine to assure a safe and clean processing environment. In fact, all poultry processing equipment must be cleaned with chlorine and all birds must receive a disinfecting bath before they may appear on your holiday table. Plastic is the packaging of choice for the poultry industry, primarily because it keeps the product fresh and safe. You can do your part to keep it safe by freezing uncooked birds in a plastic bag and storing poultry leftovers in tightly sealed plastic containers. Even with the safest processing and packaging, poultry and other foods can be exposed to bacteria in your own home.