What can I do at home to help protect my family from foodborne illness?
A. Individuals and their actions at home play an important role in food safety. To help prevent foodborne illness, food safety experts recommend the following four simple steps: • CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often with hot, soapy water. • SEPARATE: Don’t cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. • COOK: Cook to proper temperatures; don’t rely on color alone. Remember to use a food thermometer to check if food is done. Thorough cooking is the most important step in preventing foodborne illness. • CHILL: Refrigerate promptly. Growth of harmful bacteria can be slowed or stopped by refrigeration or freezing. The refrigerator temperature should be kept at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should remain under zero degrees Fahrenheit at all times.
