Do not wash meat, poultry, or eggs, as this can actually spread bacteria, according to the FSIS. Washed fruits and veggies should be dried with a paper towel or clean cloth towel. Firm produce like melons or cucumbers can be scrubbed with a clean produce brush. Do not use soap, bleach, or any commercial produce washes. To wash produce properly, the FDA recommends first removing and discarding any stems and parts that are bruised or damaged, then rinsing under running water. Even if you won’t be eating the skin or rind of a piece of produce, it’s important to wash it so bacteria on the surface doesn’t get transferred to the flesh by your knife when you cut into it. coli from the surface of fruits and vegetables. Washing produce helps remove harmful bacteria like E. Fruits and veggies can be contaminated by animals, their growing conditions, or the people they encounter before they end up in your kitchen, according to the U.S. Wash Fresh Produce - but Not Meat, Poultry, or Eggsįresh produce can be a surprising source of foodborne illness. The USDA notes “there are no uniform or universally accepted descriptions used on food labels for open dating in the United States.” Use sight and smell to assess whether food past its product date is still good to eat - but not your sense of taste, because even a small bite of a contaminated food can make you sick.Īlso, avoid any packaged food that has a broken seal or wrap, and do not buy food in cans that have been dented or are bulging, as this may be an indication of bacterial contamination, which can be deadly. If you don’t notice a foul smell until you’re home and can open the package, call the store to ask about returning it. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) outlines the different types of product dating on its website.ĭo not buy any food with a “sell-by” date that has passed or use any food that smells bad. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. While the dates printed on food packages are a measure of quality, and not necessarily safety, it is wise to heed expiration dates on highly perishable items such as dairy, meat, and poultry products. The following must-know safety tips for handling, cooking, and storing food will help ensure you can celebrate safely. Some basic safety guidelines, which mostly involve properly cleaning cooking and prep surfaces, washing your hands often, and cooking foods to the correct temperatures, can significantly lower your risk of food poisoning. The good news, says Bucknavage, is that there is a lot consumers can do to protect themselves against foodborne illnesses. Warm weather and holidays can be especially problematic times, because the temperature is right for the pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses to thrive, and food is often left unrefrigerated for several hours, says Caroline West Passerrello, RDN, a community coordinator and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “When somebody does become ill from food poisoning, it can be two to three days of severe vomiting and diarrhea, and you may have ongoing symptoms and malaise for a number of days after that.” In rare cases - about 3,000 a year - foodborne illness can even be fatal. “We have to take foodborne illness seriously,” says Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety extension associate at the Penn State Department of Food Science in University Park, Pennsylvania. And, as you know if you were ever unfortunate enough to be one of them, it’s no minor thing. No one ever sits down to a meal thinking they’re going to get food poisoning, but it happens to approximately 48 million Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |