Keep Food Safe
From Bacteria
With over 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses reported to the Centers for Disease Control each year, anyone who handles food should know keep it safe from bacteria. Learn what you can do to keep your family healthy.
Instructions
1. Wash produce under cold running water. Soaking fruits and vegetables in warm water or rinsing in hot, soapy water are not effective ways to remove bacteria from food. To kill bacteria, the temperature of the water must be much higher than what your hands can withstand. Cold water, along with vigorous scrubbing, is the best way to eliminate bacteria.
2. Check cooked meat with a meat thermometer to ensure it is done. Simply cutting open a piece of meat is an unreliable way to determine if it is cooked completely.
3. Set your refrigerator at below 40 degrees to discourage the growth of food-borne pathogens. Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees. Make sure your freezer is set below 0 degrees.
4. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, as room temperature provides the perfect conditions for breeding bacteria. You can also thaw food sealed in a plastic bag by submerging it in a bowl of cold water. Make sure to change the water every 30 minutes.
5. Discard food that has been left out for more than 2 hours. Even though bacteria may not affect the taste, look or smell of certain foods in a short period, bacteria are breeding rapidly.
6. Wash hands after preparing food and before eating.
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