Food Poisoning

Buying Food:

• Check the expiration dates on all foods, especially meats, poultry and dairy products. Do not buy or use foods beyond their expiration dates.
• Do not buy food or canned goods if the packaging is torn, leaking, bulging, dented or rusted.

Preparing Food:

• Wash hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after handling food and especially after using the bathroom.
• Wash utensils and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry and before they touch other food.
• Do not wash raw meat, poultry or eggs, as washing these foods can actually spread germs.
• Use 1 plate for raw meat and another plate after the meat is cooked.
• Cook meat, poultry and seafood thoroughly, to a safe internal temperature.
• Defrost foods safely in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Perishable foods should
  never be thawed on the counter or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more
  than 2 hours.

• Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and your freezer at 0°F or below. Most leftovers are safe to store for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. For more storage information, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
• Throw out any leftovers that have been at room temperature for more than 2 hours or in hot weather for more than 1 hour.
• If hot food must be out for longer than 2 hours, use warming trays or slow cookers to keep the food hot.
• If cold food must be out for longer than 2 hours, use a cooler or ice bucket.
• Do not eat any food you are unsure about. When in doubt, throw it out.

People with high risk of complications from food poisoning should avoid:

• Undercooked or raw animal products, such as meat, chicken, turkey, eggs and seafood
• Raw or lightly cooked sprouts
• Unpasteurized juices, ciders, milk and milk products
• Soft cheeses, such as queso fresco, unless made with pasteurized milk
• Honey, until you are over age 1, because it can harbor spores of toxic bacterium that can cause botulism