How Can I Help Prevent Food Contamination?

If you've ever had a food-borne illness, chances are it's not an experience you'd care to repeat. To prevent food poisoning and the contamination of food, you need to be cautious and careful when cooking or handling certain foods.

Clean

• The FDA, the Food Safety Council, and the nonprofit organization FightBac! all recommend four basic steps in food safety and preventing food contamination. The first step is to ensure that your hands and any surfaces you use are clean. Wash your hands thoroughly and immediately after handling raw meat or eggs. Wash any cutting boards, cooking utensils, counters and plates you used after preparing your food.

Separate

• The second step is to separate any foods that might cause cross-contamination. Keep raw meat and eggs away from other ready-to-eat foods while cooking. Don't let any juices or liquids from these foods touch any ready-to-eat foods. Prepare raw meat on a separate cutting board from the one you use for fresh produce. Do not place cooked foods on a plate that previously held uncooked meat or eggs.

Cook

• Ensure that you cook your food all the way through to the proper temperature. When raw meat and eggs reach the correct temperature, this kills any harmful bacteria contaminating the food that may cause food-borne illness. Steak should be cooked to at least 145 F and poultry should be cooked to 165 F. Ground meat, which can harbor bacteria from the grinding process, should be cooked to at least 160 F. Eggs should be cooked until the yolk and white are firm and not runny.

Chill

• Refrigerate your food after you've finished your meal. Refrigeration slows the growth of harmful bacteria and can prevent precooked food from becoming contaminated. When defrosting food, always defrost it within the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave to prevent bacteria from contaminating your food. Never thaw at room temperature.