Family Health: The Dangers of Food Poisoning and How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

We are what we eat.

If we eat good food and do it correctly, we will enjoy good health and a long and happy life.

But if we eat bad food, we will get sick and our life will be shortened.

Unfortunately, most people don’t care enough about the safety of the food they eat or what they eat or how they eat it.

Here are some family health ideas to help you avoid food poisoning and live a longer, safer, and happier life.

Each year, approximately 7 million Americans suffer from illness caused by food poisoning.

Some cases are violent and even result in death.

The culprit is food that has dangerously high levels of bacteria due to improper cooking or handling.

Food safety is generally taken for granted by the buying public, but everyone’s attention recently turned to food poisoning involving undercooked meat.

It was determined that the problem would never have occurred if the meat had been cooked properly.

E. Coli 0157.H7 is a powerful virus, but it can be completely destroyed when meat is fully cooked.

It is important that consumers take a comprehensive safety approach when purchasing, storing and preparing both traditional and new meat and poultry products.

Ultimately, consumers and food handlers have a responsibility to keep food safe once it leaves the store.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, about 85 percent of cases of foodborne illness could be prevented each year if consumers handled food correctly.

The most common foodborne illnesses are caused by a combination of bacteria, naturally present in the environment, and food handling errors.

Ironically, these are also the easiest types of foodborne illness to prevent.

Proper cooking or processing of raw meat and poultry kills bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

When you go out, make the last purchase and take the food straight home to the refrigerator.

And never leave food in a hot car!

Do not buy anything that you will not use before the expiration date.

Don’t buy spoiled food. Make sure refrigerated foods are cool to the touch.

Frozen food should be rock solid.

Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks, or bulging lids that could indicate a serious threat of food poisoning.

The performance and maintenance of your refrigerator are of the utmost importance.

Check the temperature of your refrigerator with an appliance thermometer.

To keep bacteria under control, the refrigerator must run at 40 degrees F; freezer unit to 0 degrees F.

Generally, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing your milk or lettuce.

When preparing food, keep everything clean and defrost any frozen food you plan to prepare in your refrigerator.

Take it out of the freezer ahead of time and place it in the refrigerated section of your refrigerator.

Always wash your hands with soap and hot water before preparing and handling any food, as well as after using the bathroom, changing diapers, handling pets, etc.

Remember also that bacteria can live on your dishtowels, sponges, and dish towels.

Wash them frequently and replace the dish towels and sponges you use regularly every few weeks.

Make sure to keep all raw meat, poultry, and fish and their juices away from other foods.

For example, wash your hands, cutting board, and knife in hot soapy water after cutting chicken and before cutting salad ingredients.

It is better to use plastic cutting boards instead of wooden boards where bacteria can hide in the grooves.

Do not take food out of the freezer and leave it on the kitchen counter to thaw.

This is extremely dangerous as bacteria can grow on the outer layers of food before the inside thaws.

It is also advisable to marinate in the refrigerator.

May these family health insights help you live a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Warmly,

I-key Benney, CEO