SUNDAY, Sept. 28, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- Food safety is probably the last thing on your mind when you're queuing up for the potluck table or nibbling at a plate of cold cuts.
But U.S. health officials estimate that 76 million Americans get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 people die from food-borne illnesses each year.
More than 250 food-borne diseases have been identified, and most are infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Just one -- salmonellosis, an infection with the salmonella bacteria -- is estimated to cost the United States more than $1 billion a year in medical expenses and lost wages, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
That's why it's important to play it smart with your food, and that's why September is National Food Safety Education Month.
People should follow four steps -- clean, cook, chill and separate -- when working with or eating food to prevent the spread of bacteria, says Jason Ellis, an extension specialist with Iowa State University's Food Safety Project.
You should always clean foods you intend to eat raw, such as vegetables. Clean also applies to yourself -- wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare a meal and after handling raw meat or poultry.
And when you've used a cutting board or utensils to cut meat, you should either thoroughly clean them before cutting anything else or use a different board and utensils. That way, bacteria you plan to cook away from your meat doesn't end up in your uncooked salad, says Andrea McNally, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
"People should make sure that their hands, their cutting surfaces and their utensils are clean to prevent cross-contamination," McNally says.
You also need to make sure you thoroughly cook your food. Don't go by color, Ellis warns. Instead, use a food thermometer to make sure enough heat has been applied to kill germs and bacteria.
"There've been some studies done that show there are some physiological changes that have happened with ground beef that show it can turn brown at a temperature that's not sufficient to kill pathogens," Ellis says. "That's why they do not recommend using color to judge doneness."
There's a food danger zone that runs between 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, Ellis says. That's why you want to cook your food thoroughly, and that's why you also want to chill your leftovers as soon as you're done eating.
"You want to minimize the time that foods are within that temperature danger zone, which is the optimal range for bacteria to grow and the foods to become contaminated," Ellis says. "The goal is to get leftovers chilled down as quickly as possible."
That advice also runs true for foods that haven't been cooked yet. Don't dilly-dally on the way home from the market.
"Pick up your cold foods last at the store and be sure you go straight home and get them in a refrigerator as soon as possible," Ellis says.
If you've left food out for too long, don't count on reheating to make it safe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Proper heating and reheating will kill food-borne bacteria, but some bacteria produce toxins that aren't destroyed by high cooking temperatures. One example is Staphylococcus, bacteria that produces a toxin in cooked foods left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
When preparing lunches for work or school, always keep in mind whether you or your family members have access to a refrigerator. If so, you can pack all manner of foods or leftovers and feel assured that they won't get sick.
If they don't have a refrigerator, however, you have to be more creative.
"That's why peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a very good choice," Ellis says. "They can be stored at room temperature without the danger of illness."
Another tip is to make sandwiches the night before and freeze them. They thaw out over the course of the morning and are ready to be eaten when lunchtime rolls around.
And always follow the "sell-by" or expiration dates on all fresh foods. "When it's out, throw it out," Ellis says. "It's much cheaper to buy more food than to take the risk of making a family member sick from a food-borne illness."
If you've really been counting on eating that steak even though it's a day past due, the Food Safety and Inspection Service has a number you can call to get answers to all your meat safety questions.
"If they have any questions about any product they have in their home, rather than going ahead and eating it they should give us a call at the Meat and Poultry Hotline," McNally says. The hotline number is 1-888-MP-HOTLINE.
More information
For more on food safety, visit the National Center for Infectious Diseases and the Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition.
