How To Avoid Food Poisoning

Take the following steps to prevent food from poisoning:

• Always wash your hands thoroughly before using them for cleaning or cooking. After handling raw meat, always wash your hands again.
• Dishes and utensils that have come into contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs should be thoroughly cleaned.
• For cooking, a thermometer is a must. Cook beef to a minimum of 160°F (71°C), poultry to a minimum of 165°F (73.8°C), and fish to a minimum of 145°F (62.7°C).
• Reusing the same plate or container that previously housed raw meat is not recommended unless the container has been thoroughly cleaned.
• Any perishable food or leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours.
• Set your freezer no lower than 0°F (-18°C) and your refrigerator to a temperature of about 40°F (4.4°C).
• Eat no more than one to two days’ worth of uncooked meat, poultry, or fish that has been stored in the refrigerator.
• Cook frozen items as directed on the package, for the full amount of time.
• Useless food, packages with broken seals, and dented or bulging cans should not be used.
• Foods with an odd odor or ruined taste should not be used.
• Do not use untreated water from streams or wells. Never drink untreated or unchlorinated water.

Other steps you can take:

• If you look after young children, wash your hands frequently, and dispose of diapers properly to prevent the spread of bacteria to other objects or people.
• To avoid botulism, be careful to use the right canning methods when making your canned food.
• Honey should not be given to infants younger than one year old.
• Never consume wild mushrooms.
• Whenever you’re somewhere where food contamination is more possible, stick to hot, freshly prepared food.
• You should only drink boiling water. Don’t consume unpeeled fruit or raw veggies.
• Eat no seafood that has been in contact with red tides.
• Avoid eating soft cheeses if you are expecting or have a compromised immune system, particularly soft cheeses imported from other nations.

Inform them if you believe that other people may have consumed the food that sickened you. Inform the retailer and your neighborhood health department if you believe the food you purchased from a store or restaurant was contaminated.