According to Dr. Jeff Livingston, “Food safety refers to the safe preparation and storage of food in the home. Most often, this refers to adequately cooking meats to kill off harmful bacteria. Food safety may also refer to the safe production of food within the food industry.”
Common foodborne illnesses include the following:
- Salmonella from undercooked eggs
- Botulism from improperly canned and fermented foods; infants under a year old can also get botulism from honey
- E. Coli food poisoning from unwashed vegetables like spinach, undercooked ground beef, and unpasteurized milk
- Listeria from unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses, undercooked poultry, and unwashed raw vegetables
Improper food safety can result in food poisoning (vomiting and diarrhea) or worse, so here are the best ways to stay safe:
1. Avoid foods that are raw, undercooked, unwashed, unpasteurized, fermented, or cured and water of questionable quality (especially when traveling)
Dr. Roy Arnold suggests against eating raw eggs, which can be tainted with salmonella bacteria. Instead, cook eggs until their whites are opaque. Bacteria aren’t the only food safety concerns, either: For example, Dr. Randy Baker cautions that undercooked pork “may carry trichinosis, a parasite that can cause extremely serious health problems.” Traveler’s upset stomach or diarrhea can also be related to food safety. When in doubt, ask questions about your food and drink — if you’re in doubt or concerned, don’t eat or drink it.
2. Wash food thoroughly
Whether you buy organic produce from the farmers’ market or conventional produce from your supermarket, make sure to wash your food! Dr. Chris Oh notes that “You do not know what the fruits have come in contact with. They may still have lots of bacteria on them.”
3. Cook food thoroughly
Use a thermometer! This handy chart tells you the internal temperature each food item should hit before it’s considered safe.
4. Be aware of food poisoning outbreaks and food recalls
Check out FoodSafety.gov, which keeps track of outbreaks and food recalls. Dr. Martin Fried says, “If you hear of a breakout in a shopping store, and you bought something there that was recalled, bring it back for a full refund. Don’t take the chance of using it.
5. Avoid certain foods if your immune system is weaker (infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly)
A weaker immune system means you’re at higher risk of infection. For pregnant women, you also run the risk of passing on the infection to your baby, according to Dr. Marianne Di Napoli.
