Did you know that 48 million cases of foodborne diseases cause Americans to become ill every year?
On the bright side, the U.S. is among the safest food supply systems in the world, and to keep food safe, we recognize September as Food Safety Education Month.
So, let’s take a few minutes to review food handling techniques to keep you safe and decrease the number of foodborne illnesses each year.
There are four easy steps to remember when preparing food: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.
1. Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often. Make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food or changing tasks. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and, countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each item.
2. Separate. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods. Items that require the highest cooking temperature should be put on the bottom of the fridge. Use color-coded cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination between raw meats and ready-to-eat foods.
3. Cook. Color and texture don’t tell the whole story regarding safety. A thermometer is the only way to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.
4. Chill. Refrigerate foods within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing, and divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers to cool quickly. Never thaw food at room temperature; only defrost food in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave.
Symptoms of foodborne illnesses can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and headache. These symptoms usually occur within 1 to 3 days of eating contaminated food.
Most healthy people will recover from foodborne illness quickly while others can develop chronic, life-threatening health conditions. People at great risk include those with a weakened immune system, pregnant women, young children, and older adults. To keep you and your loved ones safe, remember to practice safe food handling this September and all year long.
Karissa Winkel is the family and community wellness agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her at 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.
