General Guidelines To Prevent Food

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General Guidelines to Prevent Food Poisoning * Make sure that food from animal sources (meat, dairy, eggs) is cooked thoroughly or pasteurized. Using a thermometer is recommended. * Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats and eggs. Check expiration dates on meats before purchasing and again before preparing. * Carefully select and prepare fish and shellfish to ensure quality and freshness. * If you are served an undercooked meat or egg product in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking. You should also ask for a new plate. * Be careful to keep juices or drippings from raw meat, poultry, shellfish, or eggs from contaminating other foods. * Do not leave eggs, meats, poultry, seafood, or milk for extended periods of time at room temperature. Promptly refrigerate leftovers and food prepared in advance. * Wash your hands, cutting boards, and knives with antibacterial soap and warm to hot water after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. Wooden cutting boards are not recommended since they can be harder to clean completely. * Avoid unpasteurized milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk. * Do not thaw foods at room temperature. Thaw foods in the refrigerator and use them promptly. Do not refreeze foods once they have been completely thawed. * Wash raw vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating, especially those that will not be cooked. Avoid eating alfalfa sprouts until their safety can be assured. Methods to decontaminate alfalfa seeds and sprouts are being investigated. * Drink only pasteurized juice or cider. Commercial juice with an extended shelf life that is sold at room temperature (juice in cardboard boxes, vacuum sealed juice in glass containers) has been pasteurized, although this is generally not indicated on the label. Juice concentrates are also heated sufficiently to kill bacteria. * Be aware
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