How can foodborne diseases be prevented

Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Rub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.

Download Clean Fact Sheet. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator. Download Separate Fact Sheet. Use a food thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.

Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC links eating under-cooked ground beef with a higher risk of illness. Remember, color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers. Cloth bags should be washed in a machine and machine dried or air-dried. Plastic-lined bags should be scrubbed using hot water and soap and air-dried.

Separate raw meat, fish and poultry in disposable plastic bags before putting them in a reusable bag Check that both cloth and plastic-lined reusable bags are completely dry before storing. Prevent cross contamination when storing food in the refrigerator. In the refrigerator, store raw meats, fish, and poultry below ready-to-eat and cooked foods. When thawing frozen raw meat, fish and poultry, put the food in a plastic bag or on a plate on the lowest shelf to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods.

After thawing in the refrigerator, food should remain safe and of good quality for a few days before cooking. Food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although quality may be impacted. See Chill section for other methods for thawing. Prevent cross contamination when handling, preparing, and serving food. Thoroughly wash your hands before and after handling different foods, after using the bathroom, and anytime they can become contaminated.

Use separate cutting boards for meat and produce. Alternatively, prepare produce first, then meat. Wash and rinse cutting board, knives, and preparation area after cutting raw meat, fish or poultry. These items can be sanitized after cleaning. Use a clean serving plate to serve cooked meat. Do not use the plate that held the raw meat, unless it is washed. Throw away any sauce or dip that has been used to marinade raw meat, fish, or poultry.

Do not use this extra sauce as a dip for cooked food unless it is boiled first. COOK food thoroughly and use a thermometer to verify the proper temperature was reached. Cook foods to the safe minimum internal temperature, as indicated in the table below:. To determine that the proper temperature was reached, place a food thermometer in the thickest part of the food and allow the it to equilibrate. For whole poultry, insert the thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

For combination dishes, place the thermometer in the center or thickest portion. Egg dishes and dishes containing ground meat or poultry should be checked in several places.

Clean your food thermometer with hot, soapy water before and after each use! Food Thermometers — Why use them? Cooking : Color is not a reliable indicator that the food has been cooked to the correct temperature to ensure that foodborne pathogens — bacteria, viruses — are destroyed.

Time alone as an indicator that the food is cooked properly could result in a potential food safety hazard. However, different thicknesses of a food or ingredients that are used can alter the time needed at a specific temperature to make sure the food has reached the correct temperature to kill all pathogens. Consider using a cooler with ice or gel packs to transport perishable food. There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator see Separate , in cold water, and in the microwave.

Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately. Foodborne illness sometimes called food poisoning, foodborne disease, or foodborne infection is common, costly—and preventable. You can get food poisoning after swallowing food that has been contaminated with a variety of germs or toxic substances. Following four simple steps—clean, separate, cook, and chill—can help protect you from food poisoning.

Learn which foods are associated with food poisoning: raw or undercooked meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, raw or lightly cooked eggs, unpasteurized raw milk, and raw shellfish. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

You have sudden, severe belly pain. Talk to your doctor if: You have symptoms of mild dehydration dry mouth or passing only a little urine that get worse even with home treatment. You have a fever. You aren't feeling better after 1 week of home treatment. Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. Who to see Your family doctor , general practitioner , or pediatrician can diagnose and treat foodborne illness.

Examinations and Tests Most foodborne illness is mild and passes in a few days, so most people don't go to a doctor for a diagnosis. Sometimes the following tests are done: A stool culture may be done if your doctor suspects that you have eaten contaminated food, your symptoms are severe, or the diagnosis is uncertain. Blood tests may be done to help find out whether the foodborne illness is caused by bacteria or to rule out other causes.

A complete blood count and a chemistry screen can help show whether you are severely ill or dehydrated. If you are pregnant or have an impaired immune system and have been exposed to toxoplasmosis , you may need a toxoplasmosis test. Treatment Overview In most cases, the diarrhea and other symptoms of foodborne illness go away in 2 to 3 days, and you don't need treatment. For more information on treating diarrhea or dehydration, see: Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger.

Diarrhea, Age 12 and Older. For more information, see: Botulism. Prevention You can prevent most cases of foodborne illness by being careful when you prepare and store food. Shop safely. Bag raw meat, poultry, and fish separately from other food items. Young children can get sick from touching packaged poultry, so don't allow them to touch or play with packages of poultry in your grocery cart.

Prepare foods safely. Wash your hands before and after handling food. Wash fruits, vegetables, and cutting boards.

Follow procedures for safe home canning to avoid contamination. Store foods safely. Cook, refrigerate, or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and ready-to-eat foods within 2 hours. Cook foods safely. Use a clean meat thermometer to make sure that foods are cooked to a safe temperature. Don't eat undercooked hamburger.

And be aware of the risk of foodborne illness from raw fish including sushi , clams, and oysters. Serve foods safely. Follow labels on food packaging. These labels provide information about when to use the food and how to store it.

When in doubt, throw it out. If you aren't sure if a food is safe, don't eat it. Reheating food that is contaminated won't make it safe. Don't taste suspicious food. It may smell and look fine but still may not be safe to eat. Make smart restaurant choices. Note the general cleanliness of the facility and staff. If you aren't confident that conditions are sanitary, leave. Restaurants are inspected by the local health unit for cleanliness and proper kitchen procedures.

Find out the inspection scores of selected restaurants. They are sometimes posted in the restaurant. Find out if food safety training is regularly provided for staff. Home Treatment Most cases of foodborne illness will go away in a few days with rest and care at home.

Prevent dehydration Dehydration is the most frequent complication of foodborne illness. Dehydration in children Take extra precautions to prevent dehydration in children. Medications Medicines aren't used routinely in foodborne illness. Types of foodborne illness that may be treated with medicines include: Botulism , which usually requires the botulism antitoxin and close medical care. Listeriosis , which in pregnant women is treated with antibiotics to prevent infection of the fetus or newborn.

Babies with listeriosis may also receive antibiotics. Toxoplasmosis foodborne illness, which in pregnant women is treated with antibiotics. Shigellosis , which may be treated with antibiotics. But some types of Shigella bacteria aren't killed by antibiotics. This is called resistance.

Because using antibiotics can make these bacteria even more resistant, mild cases of shigellosis aren't usually treated with antibiotics.

Coli Infection From Food or Water. Foodborne and waterborne diseases. In JE Tintinalli, ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Staphylococcal Food Poisoning.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Marine toxins. Parasites—Cryptosporidium also known as "Crypto". Clostridium Perfringens. Listeria Listeriosis.