Did you know that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from foodborne illness each year? Luckily, foodborne illnesses are preventable! Follow these 4 easy rules to increase your chances up beating the odds.
1. WASH your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot water and soap before preparing foods, and before eating. Wash your counter tops and scrub them and your dishes after every use.
2. SEPARATE raw meat, poultry, and eggs from other items in your shopping cart and refrigerator. If possible, use a different cutting board for raw meat products. This will reduce the chance for cross contamination: bacteria spreading from one food to another.
3. COOK your food to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that may cause foodborne illness. Use a thermometer to make sure your foods have reached a safe internal temperature.
Here is a little bonus chart for you to use as a food temperature guide:
4. CHILL foods to keep bacteria from growing. Bacteria is able to grow quickly at room temperature, so keep fresh foods in the refrigerator to limit this risk. Never thaw foods at room temperature! You can safely thaw food in the refrigerator. Most frozen foods take 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator, so plan ahead to be safe.
At Project Open Hand, we take every precaution to keep food safe from contamination. By remembering to WASH, SEPARATE, COOK, and CHILL, you can too!
For more information about food safety, visit www.fightbac.org.