September is National Food Safety Education Month
Driving change through advocacy, collaboration and innovation.
Take the Food Safety Quiz from Nonprofit STOP Foodborne Illness
People are always surprised to learn that most cases of food poisoning are preventable just by following some common sense rules.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES, August 28, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Just in time for back-to-school, September is National Food Safety Education Month. Whether it’s packing youngsters’ lunches, ensuring that college kids know how to properly cook raw meat, or prepping for a tailgate party, knowing how to handle and safely cook foods is critical to good health.— Mitzi Baum, CEO of STOP Foodborne Illness
“People are always surprised to learn that most cases of food poisoning are preventable just by following some common sense rules,” said Mitzi Baum, CEO of STOP Foodborne Illness, the national nonprofit dedicated to food safety. “Sadly, thousands of people die every year in the U.S. as a result of a foodborne illness and nearly a quarter-million are hospitalized annually. The effects of a foodborne illness can be life-altering.”
Take this true-or-false quiz to test your food safety knowledge:
1. The five-second rule – the length of time a piece of food can be on an unclean surface (aka a floor or street) – is a good barometer for food safety purposes.
FALSE – Despite the longstanding urban myth, there is no five-second rule. Food picks up dirt, germs and bacteria the moment it hits the ground.
2. Raw chicken should be washed before cooking.
FALSE – Washing raw chicken actually increases your chances of food-related illness because splashing water from washing the chicken then spreads to your hands and nearby surfaces. Water droplets can carry the salmonella and/or campylobacter bacteria and can travel up to 50 centimeters!
3. The recommended time to wash hands with soap and water before preparing foods is 20 seconds.
TRUE – The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that it’s important to wash after using the bathroom and after touching pets.
4. Dips like salsa or guacamole don’t need to be kept cold at tailgate parties or picnics.
FALSE – It’s recommended that cold foods be kept at 41°F or colder to ensure that foods stay out of the temperature “danger zone,” 41°-135° F, when bacteria grow most rapidly. Serve salsas and dips in a bowl that rests inside a bowl of ice to keep temperatures nice and cold.
5. Fully cooked meat is safe to eat for up to one week.
FALSE – Leftovers are great meals, but after three or four days, either freeze the meat or toss it.
For more information on food safety and how to stop foodborne illnesses from impacting you, visit www.stopfoodborneillness.org
Jaime Mann
Stop Foodborne Illness
+1 847-502-3825
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