Food Safety Is in Your Hands
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that there are an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne infection -- commonly called food poisoning -- each year. Of those, more than 300,000 people are admitted to the hospital and more than 5,000 die. The January issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource says that you can help prevent food-borne infections at home by following these recommendations from the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foundation.
* Wash your hands. Scrub for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Be sure to wash hands when switching from raw meat, poultry or seafood to other foods such as raw vegetables.
* Wash surfaces, countertops, appliances, utensils and cutting boards with hot, soapy water.
* Use two cutting boards, one for raw meats and the other for ready-to-eat foods such as vegetables and bread. Discard cutting boards with cracks.
* Wash dishcloths and towels often. Use the hot cycle on your washing machine.
* Wash produce with tap water and a clean produce brush before eating. Trim away damaged or bruised areas.
* Don't place washed produce back in its original container. Refrigerate produce within two hours of peeling or cutting.
* Thaw meat in the refrigerator or microwave -- not on the countertop.
* Cook foods to proper temperatures. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. Ground meat should register at least 160 F; other beef 160 to 170 F; poultry 170 to 180 F; pork 160 to 170 F and fish until it flakes easily.
* Avoid eating raw meats, seafood or eggs.
* Store food in leak-proof bags or containers at proper temperatures. The refrigerator should be set below 40 F.
Shelly Plutowski507-284-5005 (days)507-284-2511 (evenings)e-mail: [email protected]
Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic.
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