Foodborne Illnesses

What You Need to Know

FOOD SAFETY

Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot!
Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, but definitely within 2 hours.
Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave. Never thaw frozen foods on the counter.
Wash your hands and utensils before and after handling food. Humming the "Happy Birthday" song twice is a good way to ensure you are washing long enough.
Scrub cutting boards with hot, soapy hot water after preparing each item and before moving on to the next food.
Cover any cuts or abrasions on your hands to avoid contaminating the food.
Keep raw and cooked foods separate.

Check “sell-by” and “use-by” dates. Do not buy products that are out of date.
Do not buy or use damaged, swollen, rusted, or dented cans.
Choose unbruised fruits and vegetables.
Do not eat “self-serve” foods or free food samples.
Do not buy or use cracked or unrefrigerated eggs.
Pick up frozen and refrigerated items just before you check out at the grocery store.
Refrigerate groceries right away, and never leave perishable foods out for more than 2 hours.
Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other items in your shopping cart and in your grocery bags.

Go out to eat early to avoid large crowds. Busier restaurants may be more likely to make a mistake with your food.
Always ask that your food be prepared fresh.
Avoid high-risk food sources, such as salad bars, delicatessens, buffets, potlucks, and street food vendors.
Do not eat raw fruits or vegetables (i.e. salads) when eating out since you cannot be sure that these foods were properly washed.
Avoid “fresh-squeezed” juices; always ask if juices are pasteurized.
Ask if pasteurized eggs are used in dishes containing egg.
When taking food to-go, always put the food in the to-go container yourself instead of having the server do it for you.

For a more complete list of foodborne germs, see the Foodborne Illness A-Z Index
Bacteria, virus or parasite? Check the list of foodborne germs and illnesses by typ

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