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American Dietetic Accociation

Food Safety Tips

Take Charge Of Your Food

Tips for high-risk Americans to avoid food poisoning

The human body is well equipped to fight off certain harmful bacteria.Certain populations however can be at far greater risk of developing serious illness if contracting food poisoning, like pregnant women, very young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses.Once contracted, these infections can be difficult to treat, and they can reoccur. Listed are tips from the American Dietetic Association on how those at increased risk can reduce their chance of getting foodborne illness.

Buying

Food safety begins with selection of food in the grocery store

  • Check food labels
    - "Expiration" date means don't consume the product after this date
    - Do not purchase or consume foods if the use-by date or sell-by date has expired
  • When shopping, pick up meat, poultry and seafood last
    - Make sure each package of meat is wrapped in a separate bag to prevent dripping and place meat at the bottom of the shopping cart
    - Make sure packaging is tightly sealed and is very cold to the touch
  • Make sure the packaging has not been damaged
  • When purchasing foods from the deli or salad bar, avoid foods containing any raw or undercooked meat, seafood or egg products, i.e., Caesar salad dressing, sushi, ceviche, etc.
  • After shopping, get chilled and frozen foods into the refrigerator, set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or freezer, set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately

Preparing

Many cases of food poisoning take place in the home and can be traced to improper handling of food

  • Wash Hands Often
    - Wash hands before, during and after meal preparation.Proper hand washing may eliminate nearly half of all cases of foodborne illness and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu
  • Keep Raw Meats and Ready-to-Eat Foods Separate
    - Prevent cross-contamination by using two cutting boards: one solely for raw meat, poultry and seafood; the other for ready-to-eat foods like breads and vegetables
  • Cook to Proper Temperatures
    - Harmful bacteria are destroyed when food is cooked to proper temperatures.Buy a meat thermometer and use it.This is the only reliable way to ensure safety and determine the doneness of cooked foods
    - Reheat hot dogs, luncheon meats (cold cuts), fermented and dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry products until steaming hot.Although pre-cooked, they can become contaminated with harmful organisms after they have been processed and packaged

Storing

How you store foods is just as important as buying and preparing them

  • Refrigerate Promptly Below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
    - Refrigerate foods quickly and at a proper temperature to slow the growth of bacteria and prevent foodborne illness.Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure your refrigerator is set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Store leftovers in shallow covered containers (two inches deep or less) and consume within three to four days

Eating Out

When eating out, avoid the same foods that you should avoid at home

  • Ask how the food is prepared
  • Request thoroughly cooked foods; if served rare hamburger, send it back
  • Do not eat raw shellfish, oysters on the half shell, raw clams, sushi, sashimi, and lightly steamed seafood such as mussels and snails
  • Avoid foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs such as: dressings and sauces, i.e. hollandaise, homemade mayonnaise, and Caesar salad dressing; desserts like chocolate mousse, meringue pie and tiramisu

Who's At Risk?

Everyone is at risk for developing foodborne illness from some types of food like undercooked eggs.However, older adults, pregnant women, very young children and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk, and need to be extra careful with the food they eat. Immune systems may be suppressed by medical treatments or by chronic illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, diabetes or liver or kidney disease.Those suffering from alcoholism or decreased stomach acid due to surgery or regular use of antacids are also at increased risk. Below is a list of foods that high-risk individuals should not eat.

If you are in a "high-risk" category...

Do Not Eat: Reheat:

Raw or undercooked eggs:

  • Soft-cooked (runny) or poached eggs
  • Unpasteurized egg nog
  • Monte Cristo sandwich
  • French toast
  • Caesar salad dressing
  • Hollandaise sauce
  • Some puddings and custards
  • Chocolate mousse
  • Tiramisu
  • Cookie dough, cake batter

Ready-to-eat foods:

  • Hot dogs
  • Luncheon meats (cold cuts)
  • Fermented and dry sausage
  • Other deli-style meat and poultry products

Raw Dairy Products:

  • Raw or unpasteurized milk or cheeses
  • Some fresh soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, blue-veined varieties, Mexican-style queso fresco

Raw or Rare Meat or Undercooked Poultry:

  • Raw or rare hamburger
  • Carpaccio (thin shavings of raw beef fillet)
  • Beef or steak tartare

Raw or Undercooked Shellfish:

  • Raw molluscan shellfish: raw clams, oysters, mussels, scallops

Raw Fish:

  • Sushi, sashimi
  • Ceviche
  • Tuna carpaccio

Raw sprouts:

  • Alfalfa, clover, radish sprouts

Unpasteurized juices:

  • Fruit and vegetable

Other:

  • Refrigerated pate or meat spreads
  • Refrigerated smoked seafood
  • Deli salads

If you think you have contracted a foodborne illness, contact your health care provider. To learn more about preventing food poisoning visit www.homefoodsafety.org.

 
ConAgra Foods American Dietetic Association