How To Reduce The Chance of Food-Borne Illness

Food-borne illness is a serious problem that doesn't seem to be going anyway anytime soon. In fact, rates have actually increased in recent years. It's estimated that around 1 in 6 Americans will fall victim to some form of food-borne illness. Some of these cases are minor and may only cause slight nausea and digestive problems, while others are more severe, resulting in life-threatening complications. Individuals and families should protect themselves against food-borne illness through education and safe food handling.

Common Types of Food-Borne Illness:

• Norovirus
• Salmonella
• Clostidium perfingens
• Campylobacter
• Staphylococcus
• Toxoplasma
• Listeria

Symptoms of Food-Borne Illness:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Lack of energy
• Muscle aches and pains
• Headaches
• Fever

Avoid Cross Contamination

One of the most common causes of food-borne illness is from cross contamination. For instance, someone might carry a dozen or so raw ground beef patties outside to the grill on a plate. Rather than placing the tainted plate in the sink, they may re-use it for their hamburger buns. Although you can't see it with the naked eye, there's a good chance of bacteria and microbes lingering on the plate, some of which may cause food-borne illness.

When you're cooking and preparing raw meat, be conscious of plates, dishes and surfaces exposed its been exposed to. Never reuse a dish that's been exposed to raw meat without washing it with warm water and soap first -- whether it's for a side dish or a different type of meat.

Wash Your Hands

I can't stress enough the importance of washing your hands when preparing raw meats. It's far too easy to spread germs around by touching objects and other people. If you're in the kitchen preparing meat, avoid touching things like the refrigerator door, sink faucet, drawers, etc. Instead, ask a family member to help you out.

Cooking

Rather than guessing whether or not a piece of meat is fully cooked, you should use a meat thermometer for a more accurate reading. Chicken, for instance, should possess an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before it's safe to consume. You can read more about the safe temperatures for meat at FDA.gov.

Produce

Some people assume that food-borne illness only come from meat, but this simply isn't true. Produce such as lettuce, tomatoes and onions are also known to carry salmonella and other strands of food-borne illness. When you're shopping for produce at the grocery store, choose items that look fresh, crisp and without any visible browning. Once your get home, wash your produce in the sink with soap and water.