II. Prevention: Choose foods processed for safety
- Processed milk
- Precooked meats
- Well dried foods
- Acidified foods
- Pressure cooked foods
III. Prevention: Prepare food carefully
- Cook food thoroughly
- Safest to cook meats to 165-175 degrees F, and to eliminate pink coloration to meat
- Cook beef, pork, veal and lamb to at least 145 degrees F, with a 3 minute rest before cutting
- Cook poultry to at least 165 degrees F
- Cook ground meats to at least 160 degrees F
- Cook fish and seafood to at least 145 degrees F
- Avoid letting raw foods contact cooked foods
- Avoid letting foods cool before refrigerating
- Do not let foods sit out at room Temperature more than 2 hours (more than 1 hour if air temp >90 F)
- Use water of drinking quality to prepare food
- Protect food from Insects and animals
- Dry foods (e.g. breads, chips) are typically safe
IV. Prevention: Foods prepared by others (avoid if possible)
- Rule 1: "Boil it, Cook it, Peel it or Forget it"
- Avoid raw, unpealed vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes (e.g. salads)
- Avoid pre-peeled fruit
- Avoid poorly-cooked or raw meat or seafood
- Avoid unpasteurized dairy products (cream, milk, cheese)
- Avoid cold sauces and salsas
- Avoid tap water or ice (Alcohol does not sterilize)
- Avoid foods that are not steaming hot
- Food should be heated above 65 degrees Celsius (150 F, some recommend 165 F)
- Keep meat, poultry and seafood at >140-150 degrees F while serving
- Food should be too hot to touch
V. Pearls: Keep food contact surfaces clean (3 wash cycle)
- Rinse off excess food
- Wash surface with detergent
- Rinse with sterilized water
- Tamed Chlorine to sterilize wash water
VI. Prevention: Eat cooked food as soon as possible
- Avoid leftovers if possible
- Store foods carefully in clean containers
VII. Prevention: Maintain clean hands
- Wash hands repeatedly (esp. before food prep and eating, or after handling animals, gardening or handling raw meats)
- Use Double Hand Washing technique
- Use Germicidal soap (e.g. Hibiclens)
- Use at least 500 cc of water for rinsing
- Prepackaged wipes (Chlorhexidine Gluconate)
- Use if water and germicidal soap not available
- Active Hand Washing is preferred for Debridement
- Do not cook if hands have open wounds
- Risk of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning
VIII. Prevention: Seafood Preparation
- Use separate cutting boards and knives for seafood
- Consider wearing gloves when working with raw seafood
- Refrigerate leftover seafood promptly
-
Exercise caution with raw oysters and seafood
- Highest risk in mid-summer months
- Avoid if Immunocompromised
- Avoid in Chronic Liver Disease
- Cook shellfish thoroughly
- Boil: Until shells open, then for 5 minutes more
- Steam: Until shells open, then for 9 minutes more
- Cook shucked oysters thoroughly
- Boil: For 3 minutes minimum
- Fry: 10 minutes at 375 F minimum
IX. Resources
- CDC Food Safety
- U.S. Food Safety
X. References
- Wayman (2017) Crit Dec Emerg Med 31(6): 3-10