"From Shopping to Consumption"... Tips for Preparing 'Myeongjeol Food'

MFDS Provides Food Safety Information for a Safe and Healthy Holiday Season

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] The Lunar New Year holiday, the second since the spread of COVID-19, is approaching. Although visits to hometowns, relatives, and travel are discouraged due to the spread of the Omicron variant, many people will still prepare holiday foods. To help you spend the Lunar New Year safely and healthily, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has provided guidelines on preparing and storing holiday foods.

Shopping Order: Flour ＞ Fruits & Vegetables ＞ Ham & Fish Cake ＞ Meat ＞ Seafood

According to food safety information provided by the Ministry on the 29th, it is recommended to purchase seafood and refrigerated/frozen foods last when grocery shopping. Leaving these items in the shopping bag at room temperature for a long time can lead to bacterial growth and spoilage. Therefore, the recommended shopping order for the Lunar New Year is to start with non-refrigerated items such as flour or cooking oil, followed by fruits and vegetables, processed refrigerated foods like ham and fish cake, then meat, and finally seafood.

It is also important to check expiration dates when purchasing food. Especially for traditional rice wine (takju) and medicinal liquor (yakju), the expiration date is indicated rather than the manufacturing date, so be sure to check the expiration date when buying for ancestral rites or gifts. For eggs, check the laying date marked on the eggshell. Eggs remain fresh for up to 30 days from the laying date when refrigerated, so you can safely purchase eggs even if a few days have passed since the laying date.

Preferred Thawing Methods: Refrigerated Thawing or Microwave Thawing

Before starting to cook holiday dishes with the purchased ingredients, washing hands is essential. Use soap or hand sanitizer to wash your hands under running water for at least 30 seconds, and wear hygienic gloves during cooking. Especially when handling eggs or raw chicken, touching vegetables or fruits with the same hands can spread food poisoning bacteria, so be sure to wash your hands with soap beforehand.

Care is also needed when thawing frozen meat or fish. Bacteria that were inactive in the frozen state can multiply again if thawed improperly. Repeated freezing and thawing of frozen foods, thawing in warm water or at room temperature, or leaving food soaked in water for a long time can promote the growth of food poisoning bacteria, so caution is necessary. The recommended thawing methods are refrigerated thawing or microwave thawing.

One Bowl of Rice Cake Soup Contains 588 Calories... High-Calorie Holiday Foods Require Portion Control

If you prepare large amounts of holiday food in advance, it is recommended to cool it quickly, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. Cooked food should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and if kept at room temperature, it should be consumed within 2 hours or reheated thoroughly before eating.

For holiday foods that are fried or stir-fried in oil, portion control is also necessary. One bowl (700g) of rice cake soup contains 588 calories, one serving (180g) of grilled yellow croaker has 461 calories, and 200g of grilled short rib patties contains 403 calories. Since many holiday foods are high in calories and fat, it is better to control your meal size by checking the calorie content to consume fewer calories. Nutritional information for holiday foods can be found in the Nutritional Database on the Food Safety Information Portal, Food Safety Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.