Keeping Food Safe

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that foodborne illness sickens approximately one out of every six Americans each year in the United States. Food poisoning can often be prevented by playing it safe when buying, preparing, cooking and storing food. Follow these 10 steps to help keep your food safe:

1. Wash your hands. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, coughing or sneezing, taking out the trash or handling pets.
2. Clean surfaces often. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with a clean sponge and hot, soapy water after preparing each food item. Surfaces and cutting boards should also be disinfected with a bleach solution after use and allowed to air dry.
3. Wash fruits and vegetables. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking. Even if you plan to peel the fruit or vegetable, it’s still important to wash it because bacteria can spread from the outside to the inside as you cut or peel the product.
4. Separate and don’t cross-contaminate. Separate ready-to-eat foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables from raw meats, poultry, seafood and eggs. Using separate cutting boards and utensils when preparing food will reduce the risk for cross-contamination.
5. Thaw it right. Food should never be defrosted at room temperature. Three safe ways to defrost food include: in the refrigerator, under running cold water or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
6. Cook food thoroughly. You can’t rely on color and texture alone to tell if your food is cooked and safe to eat. Use this chart and a food thermometer to ensure that your food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature. 
7. Refrigerate properly. Perishable foods should be refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F within two hours of purchase. Packaged raw meat should be stored on the bottom shelf to prevent the juices from dripping, which could contaminate other food.
8. Know when to throw it out. You can’t always tell if harmful bacteria are growing on your leftover or refrigerated foods by looking at or smelling them. Recognize when to throw food away by using this safe storage times chart.
9. Handle leftovers safely. Cover leftovers, wrap them in airtight packaging or seal them in storage containers and refrigerate at 40 degrees F or below. When reheating leftovers, be sure that they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
10. Sanitize your sponge daily. Dampen your sponge and heat it in the microwave for one minute to kill most bacteria, yeasts and molds. Sponges may also be disinfected by soaking them in a solution of one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of concentrated bleach per quart of warm water for one minute.

Food Safety Calendar

September

• National Food Safety Education Month (Partnership for Food Safety Education)

For More Resources on Food Safety, Please Visit:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Partnership for Food Safety Education
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services