1. Proper Food Handling:
Wash Hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry, and eggs.
Sanitize Surfaces: Keep kitchen surfaces, cutting boards, and utensils clean by sanitizing them with hot soapy water or a bleach solution.
Refrigeration: Promptly refrigerate perishable food items, especially raw meat and poultry. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or under cold, running water. Never thaw food on the counter.
Keep Raw and Cooked Food Separate: Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood separately from cooked food and ready-to-eat items. Use separate cutting boards and plates for handling raw and cooked food.
Avoid Cross Contamination: Avoid allowing raw meat, poultry, and seafood juices to come into contact with cooked food or other ready-to-eat foods.
2. Thorough Cooking:
Cook Food to Proper Temperatures: Cook meat, poultry, and seafood to the recommended internal temperatures to kill harmful bacteria, including Salmonella. Use a meat thermometer to ensure proper temperatures are reached.
3. Cleanliness and Hygiene:
Wash Fruits and Vegetables: Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating or using them in salads. Scrubbing vegetables with a clean brush can help remove any dirt or residues.
Sanitize Counters: Keep your kitchen counters, sinks, and food preparation areas clean by sanitizing them regularly.
Wash Sponges and Dish Cloths: Dish cloths and sponges should be washed in the washing machine regularly, preferably in hot water.
Avoid Raw or Undercooked Eggs: Avoid consuming raw or undercooked eggs. Use pasteurized eggs in recipes or cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm.
Discard Leftover Food: Discard leftover food after three or four days of refrigeration or freeze it. Properly reheat leftovers to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
4. Pet Safety:
Reptile Precaution: Handling pet reptiles, such as turtles, can carry the risk of Salmonella infection. Wash hands thoroughly after contact with reptiles and avoid their contact with children and immunocompromised individuals.
Poultry and Pet Care: Keep poultry and wild birds away from your kitchen and food preparation areas.
5. Avoid Unpasteurized and Uncooked Foods:
Unpasteurized Foods: Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk or juice products.
Uncooked Foods: Only eat raw fruits and vegetables that you have thoroughly washed and cleaned.
6. Practice Good Food Hygiene When Traveling:
Food Safety When Travelling: Take extra precautions when handling and consuming food while traveling, especially to areas with poor sanitation conditions.
Bottled Water: When traveling to areas with untrusted water sources, it's best to drink bottled or boiled water.
Cooked Foods: Choose to eat cooked foods whenever possible, especially when traveling to high-risk areas.