Learn food safety for best nutrition
Cindy Lou VanDevender

Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk products, lean meats, and physical activity are all key recommendations for good health included in the revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) that was recently released.

But, what about the importance of food safety? Avoiding foods that are contaminated with harmful bacteria is vital to healthy eating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year.

Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever and abdominal cramps. The DGA stresses the importance of food safety in the home as a way to prevent food borne illness.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education at www.fightbac.org recommends these steps to keep food safe:

COOK: To kill the harmful bacteria that causes illness, cook foods to the proper temperature. Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food prior to eating it.

CLEAN: To fight bacteria, thoroughly clean kitchen appliances, utensils and countertops used to prepare food. Most importantly, always wash your hands with warm water and soap before preparing and/or eating food.

SEPARATE: Crosscontamination is how bacteria spread from one food to another and from unclean hands and surfaces to food. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. And, again, keep hands, surfaces and utensils clean.

There are also six special recommendations for safe handling of fresh fruits and vegetables including: check, clean, separate, cook, chill, and throw away.

Information taken from Food Safety and Dietary Guidelines and from Amanda Scott, program specialist, expanded nutrition program. For more information contact Cindy VanDevender, County Extension Agent - Family and Consumer Sciences at the Jasper County Extension Office, 409-384-3721.