Out of every six people in the US, at least one will get sick in their lifetime from eating contaminated food. Food safety is so important nowadays because there are so many public places to partake in a meal. If the proper procedures are not followed, it can affect many people.
The most recent foodborne outbreaks have been linked to the following foods: frozen vegetables, Raw Milk, Pistachios, and Alfalfa sprouts. These outbreaks have been as small as affecting a small population or as large as spreading to multiple states. The CDC plays a large role in preventing foodborne outbreaks by linking illnesses to certain foods, tracking illnesses, and assembling teams to investigate and prevent outbreaks from happening.
Tips to help you prevent foodborne illnesses:
- Make sure to cook your food to the correct temperature. All foods must be cooked to a certain temperature before they are safe to eat. The best way to measure this is by using a food thermometer.
- Wash your hands, utensils, and cooking surfaces as much as possible. This will help to prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Refrigerate all food. Do not let it sit out! If you let food sit out for longer than 2 hours it creates the opportunity for illness causing bacteria to grow.
- Prevent cross contamination. Cross contamination is when different categories of food are stored together. Vegetables, seafood, poultry, raw meat, and dairy should all be stored separately.
If you have further questions regarding food safety, please visit www.cdc.gov/foodsafety.
