Foodborne illness (or food poisoning) affects one in six Americans every year. For many, the symptoms are temporary and can include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, as well as abdominal cramping/bloating. However, for pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weakened immune symptoms, foodborne illnesses can be deadly. Proper personal hygiene is the most important tool in preventing foodborne illness. It is also important to take the necessary precautions when purchasing, transporting and preparing food.

For food prepared at home, the following tips can be helpful:

• Purchase cold foods last, right before checking out when shopping
• Separate raw meat and poultry from other foods in your shopping cart to prevent cross-contamination
• Always refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees)
• Freeze poultry and ground meat that won’t be used in 1 or 2 days, freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days
• Thaw meats in the refrigerator or thaw sealed packages in cold water.  Defrosting in the microwave is appropriate if the meat will be cooked immediately
• Cook all meats to a safe internal temperature and always use a meat thermometer to check temperatures

• Never partially grill meat/poultry and then finish cooking later
• Reheat cooked foods to an internal temperature of 165 degrees
• When cooking out, always transport cooked foods on a clean platter.  Do not use the same plate or dish that held raw food
• Refrigerate any leftovers immediately in shallow containers
• Keep all foods out of the temperature danger zone (41 to 135 degrees) as bacteria can grow rapidly in this range

***Sources:  www.fsis.usda.gov and http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/facts.html#aresomepeoplemorelikely

Questions? Please call your Hospice of Huntington Dietitians:
Kellie Glass RD, LD 606.615.2585 or Amy McFann RD, LD 304.690.5063