Prevent food poisoning: Clean, separate, cook and chill

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

---

As you prepare meals, it is important to take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from foodborne illnesses. The way food is prepared, cooked and stored can have a significant impact on food safety.

Some foods are more likely than others to contain germs that can make you sick. Below is a list of risky foods:

• Raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn’t need to be washed. Washing raw poultry can spread germs to other foods, the sink and the counter, which can make you sick.
• Do not eat raw flour, eggs or dough.
• Consuming raw milk and unpasteurized milk products can cause health problems due to harmful bacteria.

Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often.

Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen. These cleaning tips can help keep you healthy:

• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before, during and after preparing food, as well as before eating.
• Always wash hands after handling uncooked meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour or eggs.
• Wash utensils, cutting boards and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.

Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate.

Raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate.

When grocery shopping, keep raw meat, poultry and seafood away from other foods.

Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator. Store uncooked meat in sealed containers or wrap securely so the juices don’t leak onto other foods.
Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry or seafood, then use a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread and other foods that won’t be cooked.

Cook to the right temperature.

Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. The best way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer.

Use a food thermometer to ensure meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature:

• Whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb and pork, including fresh ham: 145°F (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating).
• Fish with fins: 145°F.
• Ground meats, such as beef and pork: 160°F.
• All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey: 165°F.
• Leftovers and casseroles: 165°F.

If you do not have a food thermometer, cut into the thickest part of the food to check the color and texture. Chicken should be white and opaque throughout. Beef should be pink. Fish should be opaque and separate easily with a fork. Avoid eating anything that appears raw or undercooked.

Microwave food thoroughly. Follow recommended cooking and standing times. Letting food sit for a few minutes after microwaving allows cold spots to absorb heat from hotter areas and cook more completely.

Know your microwave’s wattage, by checking inside the door, owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website. If your microwave is high wattage (800 watts or more), use the minimum cooking time recommended. If it is low wattage (300-500 watts), use the maximum cooking time recommended.

When reheating, use a food thermometer to make sure that microwaved food reaches 165°F.

Chill: refrigerate promptly.

Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F.

Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and your freezer at 0°F or below. If your refrigerator doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, keep an appliance thermometer inside it to check the temperature.

Package warm or hot food into several clean, shallow containers and then refrigerate. It is okay to put small portions of hot food in the refrigerator since they will chill faster.

Refrigerate perishable food, including meat, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables and cooked leftovers within two hours. If the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like a hot car or picnic, refrigerate it within 1 hour.

Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw food on the counter because bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.

Above all, when in doubt – throw it out. Food poisoning can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and/or dehydration. It’s better to be safe than sick.