Preventing foodborne illness involves more than just properly washing hands and surfaces frequently. Keep your family safe with these tips.
1. Watch the temp. Use a food thermometer to ensure meats, seafood and poultry are cooked to safe internal temperatures. Also, keep an eye on your refrigerator — it should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
2. Thaw carefully. Never thaw food on the counter. Instead, thaw it in the refrigerator well ahead of time, or place frozen food in a leak-proof plastic package and submerge it in cold water. Food thawed through a cold ice bath should be cooked before re-freezing.
3. Store safely. Let containers of leftovers cool completely before placing them in the fridge. Large containers of warm food can raise the temperature of foods nearby on refrigerator shelves. Refrigerate foods within two hours of cooking.
4. Identify cutting boards. Designate one cutting board for produce and one for meat, seafood and poultry. Even when you wash cutting boards between uses, you should still use them for their designated purposes to prevent cross contamination.
If you're concerned your food has spoiled, toss it out. Eating even a small amount of expired or contaminated food can make you sick.
