September is National Food Safety Education Month. Learn some important food safety tips here! Take steps to help prevent food borne illness, and show others how to keep food safe. Did you know that some groups of people are more likely to get sick from food than others? These groups are:
- Children younger than 5
- Adults aged 65 and older
- People with health problems or who take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness
- Pregnant women
According to the CDC, every year about 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from eating contaminated food.
To help protect yourself and your family, the CDC recommends these four steps:
- Clean: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often when you cook.
- Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs. Separate them from cooked food and fresh produce.
- Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to an internal temperature that kills germs.
- Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods external icon and leftovers within two hours. Chill within one hour if it’s above 90°F.
To learn more, check out these resources:
Food Safety Inforgraphic
Food Poisoning Infographic
Signs of Food Poisoning Infographic
Food Safety Rules Infographic
Steps to Safe Fruits & Vegetables Infographic
Safety Tips for Common Foods Infographic
https://www.cdc.gov/features/food-safety-smarts/index.html