Washington's Partnership for Food Safety Education recently issued a press release advising consumers for follow four simple steps to reduce their risk of contracting foodbourne illness when enjoying the summer harvest:
Clean: Wash your hands with soap and water, wash your fresh produce under running tap water, and clean your kitchen appliances, cutting boards, utensils and countertops with warm water and soap before use.
Chill: Keep cold foods cold by refrigerating quickly. Keep your refrigerator set at 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) or below and your freezer at -18 degrees C (0 degrees F) or below -- and regularly check these temperatures.
Separate: Avoid cross-contaminating bacteria from one food to another. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood (and their juices) away from fruit and vegetables, and cut away damaged or bruised areas, since bacteria thrive in these areas.
Cook: Ensure all food is cooked to appropriate temperatures -- inside and out.
For more information, check out www.fightbac.org
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