CSCC: Steps in Preventing Food Poisoning
While modern technology has increased our ability to detect and prevent the spread of food-borne pathogens, the CDC reports that still nearly 1 in 6 Americans become ill from food poisoning (48 million people) every year, 128,000 of whom are hospitalized, with 3,000 of those cases ending in death.
Clearly, food remains at the epicenter as a potential carrier of pathogens such as staphylococcus, botulism, norovirus, typhoid, E. coli, Listeria, hepatitis A, and salmonella. And although the majority of food poisoning illnesses cause mild to moderate symptoms, even these can alter your daily routine. The most common symptoms linked with food poisoning are stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration. More serious infections, especially in those with a weak immune system (elderly, young and cancer patients, for example) can be life threatening.
The following four steps (clean, separate, cook, and cool – or “CSCC”) have been recommended by The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), The World Health Organization (WHO), The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as the best means to prevent Food Poisoning.
Clean
It is important to keep your hands, surfaces, and utensils clean before, during, and after preparing food. Always use soap and hot water to wash hands and bleach for cleaning surfaces when needed.
Separate
The separation of raw foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from already prepared foods is imperative in order to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens. It is a good idea to prepare uncooked foods before handling raw foods in order to avoid any possible contamination. Use plastic bags at the grocery store and in the freezer to separate meat from the other groceries.
Cook
Use an oven-safe food thermometer to ensure that your food has reached the CDC internal temperature standard before removing it from the oven. This will ensure that any potential harmful bacteria has been killed. Visit the CDC’s temperature guide for reference.
Cool
Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours of being cooked in a refrigerator at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Food which is exposed to higher temperatures (90 degrees Fahrenheit) should be refrigerated within only 1 hour of cooking. This ensures that harmful bacteria which thrive in heat do not have the chance to multiply.
https://www.bicmagazine.com/departments/hse/four-key-steps-to-help-prevent-food-poisoning/
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/preventing-food-poisoning#1
