Safe food preparation
Various behaviors are integral to maintaining personal health. While exercise and eating healthy foods is one of them, safe cooking is a major component as well.
The World Health Organization reports that each year unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths. Eating unsafe food is a major problem in developing nations, but also poses a threat closer to home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 48 million people get sick, 1,280,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases each year in the United States.
Many different microorganisms can be blamed for causing foodborne illnesses in people. B. cerus food poisoning, botulism, campylobacteriosis, cyclosporiasis, listeriosis, and E.coli infection are some of the more common diagnoses.
Symptoms may range from fever to muscle aches to diarrhea to stomach cramps.
Though not every foodborne disease can be prevented, diligence on the part of individuals when they handle and cook food can significantly reduce the risk of experiencing a foodborne illness. Adhering to the guidelines of Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill can keep people safe. The following are some additional ways to prevent foodborne pathogens from making others sick, courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Clean
Cleanliness is vital to avoiding foodborne illnesses. Hands should be washed before and after handling food for 20 seconds with warm, soapy water. Thoroughly wash any surfaces that come in contact with foods, particularly raw meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Surfaces should include cutting boards and counters.
Separate
Do not cross-contaminate. Keep raw food separate from cooked foods. Also, do not use the same utensil to handle raw foods and cooked ones. Wash utensils and food preparation dishes promptly, and refrain from using marinade on cooked food if it has been in contact with raw meats.
Another way to avoid cross-contamination is to pack meat, eggs, and poultry separate from raw produce and other foods that will not be cooked. This way bacteria cannot easily be transferred, even if items are in packages.
Cook
A food thermometer is a person’s best asset against foodborne illnesses. Always cook food to the recommended internal minimum temperature, which can help kill any pathogens in the food. Rather than judging doneness by sight alone, use a thermometer to prove that the food is thoroughly cooked. In addition, foods that are supposed to be served hot should remain hot. When serving a buffet, consider using chafing dishes to keep foods at or above 140 F.
Chill
Cold foods need to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Do not leave food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, or one hour if it is outdoors when the temperature is 90 F or hotter. Consider spreading foods thinly when packaging to help them chill down faster and later defrost more readily when leftovers will be used. Cold foods should be held at or below 40 F.
Safe food handling, cleaning and cooking reduces the risk for foodborne illnesses.