Stay Healthy with Food Safety The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

Causes of food-borne illness Bacteria Leading cause Viruses Parasites Fungi

Who is at risk for food-borne illness? EVERYONE is potentially at risk for food-borne illness, but the following groups are at higher risk than others: Children Pregnant women Seniors Individuals with compromised immune systems Medications that weaken natural immunity

Four steps to food safety Cleanliness Food separation Proper cooking Chill

Cleanliness Personal hygiene Wash hands with hot, soapy water Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen surfaces and utensils Use hot, soapy water after preparing each food item

Food separation Raw meat, seafood, and poultry separated from other foods during shopping and storage Different cutting boards for raw meat, seafood, poultry and other foods

Proper cooking Food thermometer Types Dial-face Digital instant read Correct use Insertion in thickest part of food Reading taken after 15 second wait once temperature stops changing Periodic accuracy check in cold water Proper cooking temperatures for different foods

Chill Proper temperature setting of appliances Refrigerator: 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit Freezer: no higher than 0 degrees Fahrenheit Cooled to under 40 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 hours Divide large amounts of food into smaller portions

Chill Safe defrosting of frozen foods Defrost foods in refrigerator, not on counter top Under cold, running water Microwave, if cooked immediately No room temperature defrosting

TAKE HOME MESSAGE The highest rates of food-borne illness occur at home! Keep food nutritious and safe to eat by following the Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean! (hands and equipment) Separate! (raw foods especially) Cook! (use a thermometer to assure safety) Chill! (check refrigerator and freezer temperatures)