1. Food Safety

2. What’s Cooking Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Category Food
Temperature (°F) 
Rest Time 
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures
Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb
160
None
Turkey, Chicken
165
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb
Steaks, roasts, chops
145
3 minutes
Poultry
Chicken & Turkey, whole
Poultry breasts, roasts
Poultry thighs, legs, wings
Duck & Goose
Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird)
Pork and Ham
Fresh pork
Fresh ham (raw)
Precooked ham (to reheat)
140
Eggs & Egg Dishes
Eggs
Cook until yolk and white are firm
Egg dishes
Leftovers & Casseroles
Leftovers
Casseroles
Seafood
Fin Fish
145 or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
Shrimp, lobster, and crabs
Cook until flesh is pearly and opaque.
Clams, oysters, and mussels
Cook until shells open during cooking.
Scallops
Cook until flesh is milky white or opaque and firm.

3. Causes of Food Poisoning
Each year, millions of people in the United States get sick from contaminated food. Symptoms of food poisoning include upset stomach, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration. Symptoms may range from mild to severe.
Bacteria and Viruses
Parasites
Mold, Toxins, and Contaminants
Allergens

4. Bacteria and Viruses
Bacteria and viruses are the most common cause of food poisoning. The symptoms and severity of food poisoning vary, depending on which bacteria or virus has contaminated the food.
The bacteria and viruses that cause the most illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States are:
• Salmonella
• Norovirus (Norwalk Virus)
Campylobacter
E. coli
Listeria
Clostridium perfringens.

5. Parasites
Parasites are organisms that derive nourishment and protection from other living organisms known as hosts. Many of these organisms can be transmitted by water, soil, or person-to-person contact.
Parasites range in size from tiny, single-celled organisms to worms visible to the naked eye. 
In the United States, the most common foodborne parasites are protozoa, roundworms, and tapeworms. The foodborne parasite that causes the most hospitalizations and deaths in this country is Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis.  

6. Mold, Toxins, and Contaminants
Most food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites rather than toxic substances in the food. But, some cases of food poisoning can be linked to either natural toxins (such as those in some mushrooms and pufferfish) or chemical toxins (such as pesticides or melamine). While some molds are desirable in foods (such as blue cheese), other molds can produce toxins that cause illness.

7. Allergens
Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body's immune system. Allergic reactions to food can sometimes cause serious illness and death. The foods that most often trigger allergic reactions are:
Milk
Eggs
Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp)
Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
Peanuts
Wheat
Soybeans

8. Who’s at Risk
Food poisoning or foodborne illness can affect anyone who eats food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or other substances. But, certain groups of people are more susceptible to foodborne illness. This means that they are more likely to get sick from contaminated food and, if they do get sick, the effects are much more serious. By following these basic rules of food safety, you can help prevent foodborne illness for yourself and others.
Child with stomach painSome of these groups of people include:
Cancer Patients
Children under Five Years of Age
Diabetes Patients
HIV/AIDS Patients
Older Adults
Persons with Autoimmune Diseases
Pregnant Women
If you, or someone you care for, are included in one of these groups, follow our four basic steps to food safety and the additional tips included below.
Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often
Separate: Separate raw meat and poultry from ready-to-eat foods
Cook: Cook food to the right temperatures
Chill: Chill raw meat and poultry as well as cooked leftovers promptly (within 2 hours)

9. Food Safety Statistics:
Each year, foodborne illness strikes 48 million Americans, hospitalizing a hundred thousand and killing thousands---the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. And each year these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
See attachment: Foodborne Illness-Causing Organism in the U.S.