Tips for Preventing Food-Borne Illness

Food poisoning can make you very sick. Food can be spoiled and still look and smell lovely! It can take up to three days to get sick from eating spoiled food. If this happens to you, contact your doctor immediately. To keep food from becoming spoiled, clean, cook, keep apart, and chill.

First, clean by washing your hands and counters on a regular basis. Germs can multiply and inundate your cutting boards, counters, sponges, forks, spoons, and knives. To keep the germs at bay, use hot soapy water to wash your hands before touching food, after using the bathroom, and after changing diapers or touching pets. Use hot soapy water to wash your kitchen utensils after using each item. Plastic cutting boards are better at resisting germs that hid in wooden cutting boards. When cleaning up counters and tables, use paper towels. If you have kitchen towels, keep them washed with hot water in the washing machine or in hot soapy water.

Keep raw foods separate as germs can spread from one food product to another. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be kept apart from each other in the refrigerator and in your grocery cart. Keep a special plastic cutting board for raw meats only. Wash your hands and utensils with hot soapy water after dealing with raw meat, poultry, or seafood. If you use a plate for raw meat, poultry, or seafood, do not put any other food on it until it has been washed in hot soapy water.

Foods need to be cooked at high temperatures to kill germs. A clean cooking thermometer is great for helping you determine whether your foods are cooked completely. Use one for meat, poultry, and other foods. According to the FDA, roasts and steaks should be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit and whole poultry should reach 180 degrees. Beef should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs should be cooked until the yolks and whites are firmed. Cooked fish should flake off easily with a fork. If you cook with a microwave, watch for cold spots where germs like to hide. Microwaved food should be covered, rotated and stirred for even cooking. Sauces, soups, and gravies should be brought to a boil when reheated. Leftovers should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do not leave food out on your counters. Refrigerate it immediately. Your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees or colder. The freezer should be set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Check these readings monthly with a refrigerator thermometer. All cooked and leftover food should be refrigerated within two hours. To thaw food safely, place it in the fridge, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Marinated foods should be left in the fridge. If you have a large amount of leftovers, make up smaller containers of food to allow the cool air to reach the food more effectively.