How To Prevent Food Poisoning

It's an unfortunate likelihood that at some point in your life, you're going to become ill due to something you've eaten. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in every six Americans experience food poisoning annually. This comes out to be about 48 million people. Of those who get sick, more than 128,000 end up in the hospital, and over 3,000 die.

Most cases of food poisoning, also referred to as foodborne illness, are minor. However, even with minor cases of food poisoning people may incur medical bills and miss time from work. In addition, food poisoning can be painful and more than a little uncomfortable.

There are ways to prevent food poisoning. You can also learn helpful tips for avoiding food poisoning while eating out or buying prepared foods at the local grocery store.

This section will discuss food safety and the best ways to avoid food poisoning for you and your family.

Can You Prevent Food Poisoning at Home?

There are several things you can do to prevent food poisoning at home. A lot of what you can do is common sense. For example, if you handle raw meat, wash your hands with soapy water. You also want to wash your cutting boards, utensils, and countertops after using them. This will help avoid cross-contamination.

When cooking meat, check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. You can go online to find the ideal temperatures for the various cooked foods you make. This is especially true for ground meats such as beef, turkey, and pork.

When thawing meat, use a plate or bowl and place a clean towel underneath so none of the liquids leak. Make sure you keep all meats and poultry at a safe temperature. Once the food thaws, refrigerate immediately until ready to use the meat.

After food handling, wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

How To Avoid Food Poisoning at Restaurants

A study conducted in 2020 confirmed that 40% of all food poisoning outbreaks were due to sick restaurant employees. This would be a significant cause of foodborne illnesses, given that we spend more than half of our food money at restaurants.

Local health departments inspect restaurants and any other food service businesses to ensure they are clean and follow all safety requirements. You can always check to see what score the restaurant received before eating there. Just look for the most recent inspection report posted prominently on the wall. This is usually near the entrance or where you order and pay for your meal.

In addition to checking a restaurant's inspection reports, you can also avoid ordering certain types of food when you go out to eat. For example, be careful ordering raw foods. Don't ask for your red meat to be rare if you're concerned about food poisoning. You want to ensure it's cooked to an internal temperature of 160ºF(78ºC). The best way to tell is to see if the meat is still too pink in the middle.

You can also ask the server or manager if they use unpasteurized eggs. You should only eat foods that are safe and free of bacteria and other pathogens.

If the server brings you meat or poultry the chef didn't thoroughly cook, send it back to the kitchen. Ask for a clean plate and, for hamburgers, request a new bun. If you bring leftovers home, keep food in the refrigerator and be careful when reheating your food.

One final note about eating at restaurants and other eating establishments is to check to see if it looks clean. If the floors and counters are dirty or if you notice the staff rinsing glasses instead of washing them with soapy water, leave.

If a restaurant's manager doesn't try to hide dirt, grease, and unsafe conditions from their patrons, imagine how bad things are back in the kitchen. These simple steps distinguish between enjoying a nice meal or developing a nasty case of E. coli, salmonella, or listeria.

Preventing Food Poisoning in the Supermarket

When you go food shopping, you need to be careful of what you buy. Check expiration dates. If a freezer or refrigerated section doesn't feel cold, avoid it. The difference of a few degrees can spoil the meat.

When you go to the supermarket, follow these tips:

• Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Grab frozen foods and perishables such as meat, poultry, or fish right before you get on line to check out. This keeps them cold for an extended time.
• Do not buy food in cans that are bulging or dented. Avoid cracked jars with loose or bulging lids.
• Buy only pasteurized milk, cheese, or otherwise treated ciders and juices. This is especially true for people with a weakened immune system.
• Only buy refrigerated eggs. Open the carton to ensure the eggs are clean and not cracked.
• Keep meat, poultry, and fish products in separate plastic bags. This prevents the drippings from contaminating other foods in your shopping cart.
• Do not buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn, or crushed on the edges. Avoid boxes above the frost line in the store's freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean the store got the fish some time ago, and it could be unsafe.
• Check the cleanliness of the meat or fish counter and the salad bar. For instance, cooked shrimp lying on the same bed of ice as raw fish could become contaminated.
• When shopping for shellfish, buy from markets that get their supplies from state-approved sources. Steer clear of vendors who sell shellfish from roadside stands or the back of a truck. If you plan to harvest your shellfish, heed posted warnings about the safety of the water.
• If it takes more than an hour to get home from the store, bring an ice chest for frozen and perishable foods.

Food Poisoning Prevention: Safe Food Storage

Safe food storage is an essential step in preventing food poisoning. Follow the below steps to store your food products safely:

• Refrigerate or freeze perishables immediately.
• Check that your refrigerator's temperature is 40ºF (5ºC) and your freezer's temperature is 0ºF (-18ºC) by using a refrigerator/freezer thermometer.
• When storing meat and poultry, ensure their juices cannot escape and contaminate other foods. You can store them in plastic wrap for a day or two. If you plan to use part of the meat, wrap the rest up and place it in the refrigerator.
• Food in the freezer should be either sealed or tightly wrapped.
• Store leftovers in sealed containers.
• Store eggs in their carton on a shelf in the fridge rather than on the door, where the temperature is warmer.
• Keep seafood in the refrigerator or freezer until preparation time.
• Do not crowd the refrigerator or freezer so tightly that air cannot circulate. Check leftovers daily for spoilage. Throw out anything that looks or smells suspicious.
• Mold is a sure sign of spoilage. Although not a significant health threat, mold can make food unappetizing.
• Check labels on cans or jars for storage instructions. It is best to throw out items that should have been refrigerated but weren't.
• Although some foods remain safe at room temperature, they should still be stored properly. For example, never store potatoes and onions under the sink because leakage from the pipes can damage them. Store them in a cool, dry place. Also, do not store foods near household cleaning products and chemicals.
• Check canned goods to see whether they are sticky on the outside. This may indicate a leak. Return the cans to the store. The store should notify the FDA.

What To Do if You Develop Food Poisoning?

If you get sick after eating at a restaurant, you may have a legal claim against the owner. The same is true if you become ill after eating food from the grocery store. Talk to a product liability attorney and determine if your claim is worth pursuing.

To find an attorney near you, visit FindLaw's attorney directory.