How to keep your food safe when planning a party, picnic or just a meal

Outbreaks of illnesses from Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli point to concern about keeping food safe at home

rawpixel via 123rf.com | Used by permission

Foodborne illnesses can be particularly sneaky and scary because we can’t see or smell most of the germs that contaminate our food. Our food may look fine, but it could contain dangerous amounts of Salmonella, the No. 1 cause of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illness in the United States.

Food safety, especially involving bacteria, is a real issue.

Pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli together typically cause about 100 food recalls every year. In the recent past, we saw a Salmonella outbreak in cantaloupe that sickened more than 400 people across 44 states, leading to 158 hospitalizations and six deaths. A Listeria outbreak in deli meat led to 60 hospitalizations and 10 deaths. An E. coli outbreak in carrots led to 48 illnesses, 20 hospitalizations and one death. Other recent outbreaks have affected peaches, leafy greens and cucumbers

Illnesses caused by Salmonella and Listeria occur more often in the summer because the bacteria love warm temperatures and unrefrigerated foods at picnics and outdoor gatherings, experts say.

Following these easy food safety steps can help you avoid getting sick from many types of food contamination or food poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Easy steps to help you avoid getting sick from food

Clean

This means washing your hands, your utensils and your preparation surfaces frequently. This is particularly important if you’re handling uncooked meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour or eggs.

But it’s important no matter what food you’re touching. It’s best to wash your hands in between preparing any different type of food to avoid transferring bacteria from one type of food, if it exists, to another.

Wash all fruits and vegetables before slicing, peeling and eating.

And if you touch the water faucet handles directly, wipe those down too after you wash your hands.

Separate

For food items that will not be cooked, keep them separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood.

Cook

Typically, more than a dozen recalls from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in any given year stem from Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli or other pathogens. These recalls involved tens of thousands of pounds of beef, pork and poultry. And that’s just the ones we know about. It’s important to know that cooking to the proper temperature kills Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli and other bacteria.

Use a food thermometer to make sure your food is cooked properly to reach a temperature high enough to kill germs. To be safe, use two thermometers in case one is faulty.

Quite simply, undercooked meat and poultry can make you sick. Beef and pork may contain Salmonella, E. coliYersinia and other bacteria. Raw poultry frequently contains Campylobacter and can also contain SalmonellaClostridium perfringens and other bacteria.

Rinsing contaminated items, such as lettuce or mushrooms, can remove pesticide residue and some germs, but it won’t kill bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli.

Chill

Refrigerate perishable food within two hours if it’s out at room temperature.

Refrigerate it within one hour if the food is out in temperatures above 90 degrees, at a picnic for example.

In addition, frozen foods should be thawed in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

Stay informed

Finally, keep up with the latest food recalls. Here’s our consumer guide on ways to protect you and your family.

Topics
Authors

Teresa Murray

Consumer Watchdog, U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Teresa directs the Consumer Watchdog office, which looks out for consumers’ health, safety and financial security. Previously, she worked as a journalist covering consumer issues and personal finance for two decades for Ohio’s largest daily newspaper. She received dozens of state and national journalism awards, including Best Columnist in Ohio, a National Headliner Award for coverage of the 2008-09 financial crisis, and a journalism public service award for exposing improper billing practices by Verizon that affected 15 million customers nationwide. Teresa and her husband live in Greater Cleveland and have two sons. She enjoys biking, house projects and music, and serves on her church missions team and stewardship board.