Most people do not think about food safety until they or someone they know becomes infected with foodborne illness. People usually become infected with foodborne illness when they eat a contaminated food item

Common Foodborne Illnesses and Symptoms

According to CDC's new estimates, the most common foodborne illnesses are caused by the bacteria Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens,, and Campylobacter, and by a group of viruses called calicivirus, also known as the Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses. Symptoms vary depending on the type of bacteria and severity of the illness. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Contact your doctor or healthcare provider when diarrheal illness is accompanied by a high fever (temperature over 101.5°F, measured orally), blood in the stools, prolonged vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, signs of dehydration, including a decrease in urination, a dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up or if diarrheal illness lasts more than 3 days.

Reducing Your Risk

You can reduce your risk of becoming infected with foodborne illness. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, including hamburgers, poultry, and seafood, and do not drink raw milk or eat products made from raw milk. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water and always follow the rules of food safety.

Rules of Food Safety

CLEAN
Clean your hands with soap and warm water before handling food. Clean surfaces before preparing food on them. Wash produce.  Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables in running tap water to remove visible dirt and grime.  Remove and discard the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.  Because bacteria can grow well on the cut surface of fruit or vegetable, be careful not to contaminate these foods while slicing them up on the cutting board, and avoid leaving cut produce at room temperature for many hours.

Avoid preparing food for others if you yourself have a diarrheal illness.  Changing a baby's diaper while preparing food is a bad idea that can easily spread illness. 

SEPARATE
Separate cooked foods from ready-to-eat foods. Do not use utensils on cooked foods that were previously used on raw foods and do not place cooked foods on plates where raw foods once were unless it has been cleaned thoroughly.

COOK
Cook foods to a safe internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe temperature. Color is not an indicator of doneness.

• 145°  for whole meats (allowing meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming)
• 160°  for ground meats
• 165°  for all poultry
• eggs should be cooked until the yolk is firm

CHILL
Chill foods promptly after serving and when transporting from one place to another. Bacteria can grow quickly at room temperature, so refrigerate leftover foods if they are not going to be eaten within 4 hours. Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.