How to Prevent Food-borne Illnesses

Today's question comes from JB: 

Dear Dr. Deena,

I recently read a New York Times article entitled “Most Food Illnesses Come From Greens.” What is causing this contamination? What can I do to prevent these food-borne illnesses?

JB

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/most-food-illnesses-come-from-greens/

Thank you for this great question, JB. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 Americans will develop a food-borne illness this year, thus it is very important to know how we can keep ourselves and our loved ones safe!

There are many ways in which produce might get contaminated with pathogens. The term "pathogen" refers to a disease causing organism, and includes both bacteria and viruses. Some pathogens are equipped to survive in the most extreme environments, which is why farmers need to follow strict guidelines laid out by the FDA to minimize pathogen contamination of produce.

There are so many steps involved in the cultivation and distribution of crops, and contamination via pathogens can happen at any of those levels. Many people believe that is mainly the water supply which can become contaminated by pathogens, but there are many other reasons for why pathogens can flourish which include: inadequate temperature control, unsanitary machinery, improperly treated fertilizers (generally made from manure, which inherently harbors bacteria if not treated properly before becoming a fertilizer), poor worker health and hygiene (i.e. if worker’s do not follow safe and simple rules like “washing hands after using the bathroom” they can easily spread disease when handling our produce), etc. etc.  The FDA has developed guidelines for the farming industry to follow in the "Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables." These guidelines call for tight regulation of the water supply, temperature, pH, fertilizers, treatment of animal manure, and worker health and hygiene....to name a few! If there is a problem at any of these levels, pathogens can flourish and ultimately lead to food-borne illness.

Luckily for us, even when those pathogens make it from the grocery store into our kitchens….we can easily destroy them and protect ourselves from food borne illness!

The simplest way to protect yourself and your loved ones from food-borne illnesses is to wash your fruits and vegetables and Heat your meat to the appropriate temperature.

Here is a more detailed list of what you can do to minimize food-borne disease:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling produce

2. Clean all knives and utensils after each use with soap and water

3. Clean all surfaces (counter-tops) or cutting boards after each use with a mild bleach solution

4. Keep a separate brush for fruits and vegetables

5. Scrub all fruits and vegetables with a brush under running water  (there is no need to use soap or other solutions)

6. Most bagged vegetables (frozen vegetables, salad bags, etc.) are safe and ready for consumption. I would; however, still recommend placing these in a colander and rinsing them with cold water prior to cooking or eating. 

7.  Keep raw meat, seafood, poultry and eggs separate from all other foods in your grocery cart. Most grocery stores have clear plastic bags in the meat section which you can use to cover these items before placing them in your  cart

8.  Keep raw meat, seafood, poultry and eggs separate from all other foods in the fridge and freezer

9. Use a food thermometer to make sure that meat has reached its safe minimum cooking temperature (See the chart below for appropriate temperatures)

10. After you remove meat from the heat source (oven, grill, etc.), allow the meat to rest for the times listed in the chart below:

Category	Food	Temperature (°F)	Rest Time
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures	Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb	160	None
	Turkey, Chicken	165	None
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb	Steaks, roasts, chops	145	3 minutes
Poultry	Chicken & Turkey, whole	165	None
	Poultry breasts, roasts	165	None
	Poultry thighs, legs, wings	165	None
	Duck & Goose	165	None
	Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird)	165	None
Pork and Ham	Fresh pork	145	3 minutes
	Fresh ham (raw)	145	3 minutes
	Precooked ham (to reheat)	140	None
Eggs & Egg Dishes	Eggs	Cook until yolk and white are firm	None
	Egg dishes	160	None
Leftovers & Casseroles	Leftovers	165	None
	Casseroles	165	None
Seafood	Fin Fish	145 or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.	None
	Shrimp, lobster, and crabs	Cook until flesh is pearly and opaque.	None
	Clams, oysters, and mussels	Cook until shells open during cooking.	None
	Scallops	Cook until flesh is milky white or opaque and firm.	None

 Courtesy of www.foodsafety.org

Hopefully my advice will reduce your chances of contracting a food-borne illness this season. 

For more information, please visit http://www.foodsafety.gov or leave comments below!

As always, please feel free to email all your questions to DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com

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