4 Basic Steps to Food Safety at Home

Clean

Always wash your food, hands, counters, and cooking tools.

• Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday while washing and the 20 seconds will be over). Do this before and after touching food.
• Wash cutting boards, dishes, forks, spoons, knives and counter tops with hot soapy water. Do this after working with each food item.
• Rinse fruits and veggies well
• Clean the lids on canned goods before opening.

Separate (Keep Apart)

Keep raw foods apart from other raw foods. Germs can spread from one food to another.

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from other foods in the shopping cart, bags, and the refrigerator.
• Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods unless first brought to a boil first.
• Use a separate cutting board and utensils for raw meats, and a designated plate and clean utensils for raw foods.  This prevents cross-contamination.

Watch the following video to investigate the importance of proper food handling.

Cook

Foods need to get hot and stay hot. Heating meats to their specific, appropriate temperatures kills germs.

• Cook to safe temperatures of at least:
  •  Fresh Beef Steaks, Pork Chops, Roasts 145 °F
  •  Fish 145 °F
  •  Grounded Meat and Meat mixtures 160 °F
  •  Turkey, Chicken, Duck (All poultry) 165 °F
• Use a food thermometer to make sure that food is done.  Simply looking at the meat doesn’t guarantee it is cooked appropriately.

Chill

Put food in the fridge right away.

• Never thaw food by simply leaving it out of the refrigerator or freezer.
• Follow the 2-Hour Rule: Put foods in the refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours after cooking or buying from the store. Do this within 1 hour if it is 90 degrees or hotter outside.
  • Hot/cold bags (available at most stores) are handy in the car as they can insulate the food from store to home.
• Thaw food: in the refrigerator; under cold water; in the microwave
• Marinate foods in the refrigerator.

Why should one care about food safety?

Each year millions of people get sick from food illnesses. Food illness can cause people to feel like they have the flu. Food illness can also cause serious health problems, even death.

Think someone has a food illness?

Call the doctor and get medical care right away.

• Save the food package, can, or carton.
• Call USDA at 1-888-674-6854 for meat, poultry, or eggs.
• Call FDA at 1-866-300-4374 for all other foods.
• Call the local health department if the food was eaten in a restaurant or by other food sellers.

Who is at risk?

Anyone can become ill from eating spoiled or contaminated food.

Some people have a higher risk of becoming ill from food contaminations. Some foods are more risky for these people.

• Pregnant women
• Older Adults
• People with certain health conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and kidney disease

To Learn More Visit the Following Sites:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Partnership for Food Safety Education

FDA Pritable Page on Food Safety at Home