I JUST SAW A PATIENT
WITH A SERIOUS CASE
OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS,
OR FOOD POISONING
AS MOST PEOPLE CALL IT.
FOODBORNE ILLNESS
HAS A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS
AND CAN GO FROM "SOMETHING I ATE
DOESN'T AGREE WITH ME"
TO BEING BAD ENOUGH TO CAUSE
A SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM
OR EVEN DEATH, AND MOST
FOODBORNE ILLNESSES SYMPTOMS
DON'T PRESENT RIGHT AWAY.
IT OFTEN TAKES 24 TO 48 HOURS
AFTER EATING
THE CONTAMINATED FOOD,
BUT IN SOME INSTANCES,
THE INCUBATION PERIOD
MAY BE LONGER.
BASED ON WHAT
THIS PATIENT TOLD ME,
WE AREN'T SURE
IF IT'S FROM A RESTAURANT
OR FROM FOOD
SHE PREPARED AT HOME.
THAT'S WHY I MAKE SURE
MY PATIENTS UNDERSTAND
THAT EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY
IN ENSURING FOOD SAFETY--
FARMERS, FOOD COMPANIES,
TRANSPORTERS,
RETAILERS, CONSUMERS,
AND THE GOVERNMENT.
IN FACT, THE FDA ISSUED
REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT
THE FDA FOOD SAFETY
MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2011.
THIS WAS THE MOST SWEEPING
REFORM OF FOOD SAFETY LAWS
IN MORE THAN 70 YEARS.
THE NEW RULES REQUIRE
FOOD PRODUCERS TO DO MORE
TO IDENTIFY AND PREVENT PROBLEMS
BEFORE THEY MIGHT HAPPEN,
AND THEY SET SCIENCE-BASED
SAFETY STANDARDS FOR GROWING,
HARVESTING, AND PACKING PRODUCE,
BUT SOMETIMES CONTAMINATED FOOD
STILL REACHES CONSUMERS,
AND THE GOVERNMENT
CAN'T REGULATE HOW CONSUMERS
HANDLE FOOD.
THAT'S WHY WE ALL NEED TO KNOW
HOW TO MINIMIZE THE RISK,
ESPECIALLY FOR OUR PATIENTS
WHO ARE AT HIGHER RISK--
PREGNANT WOMEN, YOUNG CHILDREN,
OLDER ADULTS, AND PEOPLE
WITH IMMUNE SYSTEMS WEAKENED
BY ILLNESS OR MEDICAL TREATMENT.
BEING SMART ABOUT HOW WE SHOP
FOR FOOD CAN DO A LOT
TO HELP PREVENT EXPOSURE
TO THE TWO MOST COMMON
FOODBORNE AGENTS--
VIRUSES AND BACTERIA.
WHEN IT COMES
TO FOODBORNE ILLNESS,
MOST OF US THINK
OF UNDERCOOKED MEATS AND EGGS,
BUT RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
CAN POSE A RISK.
SO CAN LUNCH MEATS
AND DELI-TYPE SALADS.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN
DO WHILE AT THE GROCERY STORE.
CHECK THE SELL-BY DATES.
USE PLASTIC BAGS FOR RAW MEAT
AND POULTRY AND KEEP THEM
SEPARATED FROM THE OTHER
GROCERIES IN YOUR CART
AND ONLY BUY PASTEURIZED
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND JUICE.
FOOD RECALLS HAPPEN
WHEN CONTAMINANTS
ARE DISCOVERED IN FOOD PRODUCTS.
THEY HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY DAY,
AND THESE FOODS COULD BE
ALMOST ANYTHING.
THEY RANGE FROM FRESH PRODUCE
TO PEANUT BUTTER
TO MEAT AND POULTRY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
THERE MAY BE NOTHING YOU,
AS A CONSUMER, CAN DO
TO MAKE THESE FOODS SAFE.
THE BEST THING TO DO IF THEY ARE
RECALLED IS JUST THROW THEM OUT.
FOR A LIST OF CURRENT RECALLS,
GO TO FOODSAFETY.GOV.
KEEPING THE FAMILY SAFE
IS A PRIORITY IN ANY HOUSEHOLD,
SO HERE ARE 4 BASIC STEPS
TO PREVENT
FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN THE HOME.
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN WITH
WARM OR COLD WATER AND SOAP
FOR AT LEAST 20 SECONDS
BEFORE AND AFTER HANDLING FOOD,
USING THE BATHROOM, CHANGING
DIAPERS, OR HANDLING PETS.
CLEANING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
IS IMPORTANT
IN ORDER TO GET RID OF SOIL
THAT MAY REMAIN ON THE PRODUCE,
BUT THERE ARE A VARIETY
OF OTHER REASONS TO CLEAN.
BACTERIA, VIRUSES, OR PARASITES
CAN BE ON THAT PRODUCE, AS WELL,
SO MAKE SURE TO RINSE
ALL PRODUCE THOROUGHLY
UNDER COLD WATER
TO HELP REDUCE YOUR RISK
AND USE A VEGETABLE BRUSH,
ESPECIALLY ON FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES THAT HAVE A SKIN
OR RIND THAT WON'T BE EATEN.
RINSE PRODUCE BEFORE YOU CUT IT
BECAUSE IF THERE ARE BACTERIA,
VIRUSES, OR OTHER
DISEASE-CAUSING MICROORGANISMS
ON THAT SKIN AND YOU CUT IT
WITH A KNIFE,
THAT KNIFE CAN CARRY THAT
PATHOGEN RIGHT INTO THE FRUIT.
CLEAN YOUR CUTTING BOARDS
AND OTHER SURFACES
BETWEEN PREPARING RAW MEAT,
POULTRY, SEAFOOD, OR EGGS
AND PREPARING FOODS THAT WON'T
BE COOKED, LIKE SALAD VEGGIES,
SO YOU DON'T CONTAMINATE
THE OTHER FOODS,
OR USE SEPARATE CUTTING BOARDS.
JUST AS YOU SEPARATE YOUR
RAW MEAT FROM OTHER GROCERIES
IN YOUR SHOPPING CART
TO AVOID CROSS-CONTAMINATION,
DO THE SAME THING
IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR.
NEVER PUT RAW MEAT, POULTRY,
SEAFOOD, OR FRESH EGGS
ANYWHERE WHERE THEY MAY
CONTAMINATE READY-TO-EAT FOOD.
I'M GOING TO PUT THIS CHICKEN
IN THE FRIDGE TO MARINATE
FOR A COUPLE HOURS,
AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE ABOVE
OR NEAR MY VEGGIES
JUST IN CASE THE BAG LEAKS.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO REUSE
MARINADES FOR SAUCES
AND GRAVIES, BUT NEVER REUSE
MARINADES THAT WERE USED
WITH RAW MEATS UNLESS YOU
BRING THEM TO A BOIL FIRST
SO THAT YOU KILL ANY PATHOGENS.
FOOD IS SAFELY COOKED
WHEN IT REACHES A HIGH ENOUGH
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
TO KILL THE HARMFUL PATHOGENS
THAT CAUSE ILLNESS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT
SAFE TEMPERATURES
FOR DIFFERENT FOODS,
SO CHECK OUT THE MINIMUM
SAFE COOKING TEMPERATURES CHART
AT FOODSAFETY.GOV.
IT'S VERY HANDY.
ONCE YOU KNOW THE TEMPERATURE
YOUR MEAT SHOULD BE COOKED TO,
CHECK IT WITH
A FOOD THERMOMETER.
WHILE THE CHICKEN IS COOKING,
I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT REFRIGERATION.
YOU SHOULD REFRIGERATE OR FREEZE
MEAT, POULTRY, EGGS, SEAFOOD,
AND OTHER PERISHABLES WITHIN TWO
HOURS OF PURCHASING OR COOKING.
COLD TEMPERATURES SLOW
THE GROWTH OF HARMFUL BACTERIA,
BUT DON'T OVERSTUFF THE FRIDGE.
COLD AIR NEEDS TO CIRCULATE
TO KEEP FOOD SAFE.
YOUR REFRIGERATOR SHOULD BE
40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR COLDER,
AND YOUR FREEZER SHOULD BE ZERO
DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR COLDER.
A LOT OF REFRIGERATORS DON'T
HAVE A TEMPERATURE GAUGE.
MANY JUST HAVE A DIAL
THAT SAYS "COLDER" OR "WARMER,"
SO GET YOURSELF
A THERMOMETER LIKE THIS ONE.
I'M PRETTY SURE
THIS CHICKEN IS DONE,
BUT I'M GOING TO CHECK IT
WITH THE MEAT THERMOMETER
AND CHECK THAT THE MEAT
IS REACHING THE RIGHT
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES
SO YOU KNOW IT'S DONE.
IF YOU'RE LIKE ME,
YOU LOVE FILLING THE HOUSE
WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
AND FEEDING THEM TONS OF FOOD,
SO WHEN YOU ARE PREPPING
THAT BIG FAMILY DINNER,
NEVER THAW FOOD
OUT ON THE COUNTER
BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS PATHOGENS
TO MULTIPLY.
YOU CAN THAW IN THE REFRIGERATOR
OR IN COLD RUNNING WATER,
OR YOU CAN USE THE MICROWAVE,
BUT IF YOU DO,
YOU'LL HAVE TO COOK THE FOOD
RIGHT AWAY.
THESE METHODS TAKE TIME,
SO MAKE SURE YOU PLAN WELL
AND GIVE YOUR FOOD PLENTY
OF TIME TO THAW THE RIGHT WAY.
IF YOU HAVE A BUFFET SET UP
FOR YOUR GUESTS,
YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE
COLD FOODS STAY COLD
AND HOT FOODS STAY HOT,
AND WHEN YOU ARE WITH FAMILY
AND GOOD FRIENDS, IT'S EASY
TO SIT AND TALK FOR HOURS
AND FORGET THAT THE FOOD
IS STILL OUT ON THE COUNTER,
SO MAKE SURE YOU PUT FOODS AWAY
WITHIN TWO HOURS
TO KEEP IT SAFE.
YOU DON'T WANT THOSE DELICIOUS
LEFTOVERS TO MAKE YOU SICK.
LEFTOVERS CAN BE KEPT IN
THE REFRIGERATOR FOR 3 TO 4 DAYS
OR FROZEN FOR 3 TO 4 MONTHS.
ALTHOUGH SAFE INDEFINITELY,
FROZEN LEFTOVERS
CAN LOSE MOISTURE AND FLAVOR
WHEN STORED FOR LONGER TIMES.
AS YOU CAN SEE,
WITH THESE STEPS,
WE CAN KEEP FOOD SAFE,
HEALTHY, AND FUN.
IF YOU SHOULD BECOME ILL
AND THINK THAT THE CAUSE
MAY HAVE BEEN FOODBORNE, REPORT
IT TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER
OR YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
AND FOR EVEN MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT SAFE FOOD HANDLING,
PREPARATION, AND USEFUL TIPS,
GO ONLINE TO FDA.GOV/FOOD.
FOR INFORMATION
ABOUT SAFE FOOD STORAGE,
TRY THE FOODKEEPER APP
AT FOODSAFETY.GOV.