A USDA study on consumer food preparation behavior highlights the risks of not following food safety rules. The five year study looked at how consumers prepare meals in light of the risks of food poisoning. The study was produced by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as part of their efforts to educate the public about safe food handling practices. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban said in a statement, "These studies are important for USDA to understand consumer behaviors in the kitchen and it is timely to be releasing the latest findings during Food Safety Education Month. The results allow us to shape food safety communications and help consumers safely prepare food." The three areas the study concentrated on were handwashing, thermometer … [Read more...]
Treat Plant-Based Meat Like the Real Meat For Safety’s Sake
You should treat plant-based meat like the real thing for safety's sake, according to the USDA. Many people think that "burgers" made with plants are automatically safer to eat, but that's not the case. Plants can harbor pathogens and, in fact, have made many people sick over the years. In fact, according to a 2015 study conducted by Center for Science in the Public Interest, produce was the most common source of food poisoning. Produce can be contaminated by agricultural water used for irrigation, by animals and birds defecating in the fields, by contaminated harvesting equipment and storage bins, and through handling after harvest. Any raw agricultural product has the potential to be contaminated. And plant-based meats are "ultra processed," according to John Luchansky, lead … [Read more...]
Wash Your Hands and Use a Food Thermometer This Summer
The USDA is reminding consumers to wash hands and use a food thermometer this summer to avoid foodborne illness. These rules apply even when you are camping, grilling outdoors, or having a picnic. The USDA has observed, in their test kitchens, that consumers are skipping basic food safety practices, which increases the risk of suffering food poisoning. USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin said in a statement, "Our research shows that participants were not adequately washing their hands or using a food thermometer. Summer is a time to relax and enjoy delicious meals with friends and family but foodborne pathogens never rest. Following safe food handling practices during this and all other seasons can reduce the risk of you and your loved ones getting sick." A … [Read more...]
FDA’s Food Safety and Nutrition Survey Report Released
The FDA's Food Safety and Nutrition Survey, the agency's probability consumer survey designed to assess consumer awareness, knowledge, understanding, and self-reported behaviors regarding food safety, has been released for 2019. The survey was launched to help the FDA make informed regulatory, education, and policy decisions to protect public health. The survey was a mail-push to web methodology. The population includes adults who live in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. A total of 4,398 responses were collected during ht months of October and November 2019. Before this methodology change, FDA consumer surveys were conducted using phone interviews. The key findings on food safety include consumer knowledge about where they think they may contract food poisoning, … [Read more...]
Little Known Safe Grilling Tips to Prevent Foodborne Illness
When it comes to summer grilling, we are bombarded with information about how to keep the food you are cooking safe. Everyone knows (or should know) about safe final internal temperatures, to wash your hands before cooking and after handling raw meats, and to follow expiration dates on these products. But there are little known safe grilling tips to prevent illness. For instance, did you know that you can get sick if you don't handle marinades properly? Any marinade that has come into contact with raw meat will instantly become contaminated with pathogens. Vinegar or lemon juice in marinade will not kill these pathogens. So if you are using a marinade, handle it carefully. If you want to use some for dipping or to marinate vegetables, make the marinade, reserve some in another bowl … [Read more...]
Learn Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures For Different Foods
As part of our series on helping beginning cooks learn about food safety during the coronavirus pandemic, the safe minimum cooking temperatures for many foods is critical. These risky foods have to be handled carefully and cooked thoroughly to avoid the risk of a serious foodborne illness. These foods include beef, pork, seafood, chicken, turkey, shellfish, and foods made with eggs. All of these foods have been linked to multistate food poisoning outbreaks in the past. When you handle these foods, make sure to avoid cross-contamination between them and foods that are eaten uncooked. Meat juices dripping on other foods in the fridge is a main source of contamination. Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures First of all, the only way to tell if these foods are safe to eat is by using … [Read more...]
Do You Know the Safe Minimum Temperatures For Meats and Poultry?
Food Poisoning Bulletin has been telling consumers for years about safe food handling to help prevent serious foodborne illness. Unfortunately, many raw meats and produce for sale in this country are contaminated with enough bacteria to make someone sick, so the consumers is the last defense against illness. How you handle and cook these foods is critical to your family's health. But do you know the safe minimum temperatures for these foods? First of all, every household should have a reliable and accurate food thermometer. And the cook or cooks in the family should know how to use one. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the food for the most accurate reading. That means it should be inserted thorough the side of a hamburger, and into the thickest part, … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Turkey Food Safety Tips From the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering Thanksgiving turkey food safety tips, especially about your holiday turkey. This year, a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Reading has sickened at least 164 people in 35 states, hospitalized 63 of those patients, and killed one person in California. The statement says, "Food handling errors and inadequate cooing are the most common problems that lead to poultry-associated foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States." You need to know that most poultry products sold in this country are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. For instance, Consumer Reports found that 97% of the chicken breasts they purchased were contaminated. So it's up to the consumer to protect himself. Here are the Thanksgiving food safety steps you … [Read more...]
Food Safety Tips for Labor Day Weekend From Experts
It's Labor Day, the last blast of summer in the United States. And many people are grilling and cooking outside. The New York State Department of Health is reminding people about food safety tips for Labor Day weekend. There is a recent multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to kosher chicken. There are seventeen people sick in four states, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. And eleven of those patients live in New York State. How people prepare chicken, especially if it is cooked outside on the grill, can leave some susceptible to food poisoning. So, here's what you can do. When you buy meats, wrap them in plastic bags to stop blood and juices from dripping onto other foods, especially those that are eaten without further cooking. Refrigerate perishable … [Read more...]
