Food Handling & Housekeeping
In the United States, food poisoning kills about 9,000 people a year.
By storing and
cooking foods safely and keeping your kitchen clean, you can reduce your family’s
risk of illness.
Food Safety
Meats, dairy foods and eggs spoil quickly. These foods contain bacteria that can cause
illness if the foods are not stored or cooked properly. Summertime
picnics and grilling outdoors also require special precautions to keep
food safe for everyone. The Holidays and
preparing a turkey or hardboiled eggs for a celebration also present
unique challenges for keeping food safe and preventing the spread of
illness.
Tips on Food Handling:
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Wash your hands often with soap and hot water.
Dry your hands with a paper towel. Washing your hands is the best way to avoid food poisoning.
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Keep foods that spoil easily refrigerated or frozen until they are used.
Thaw frozen
food in the refrigerator or in a microwave. Marinate food in the refrigerator.
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Keep the temperature of your refrigerator
41 degrees or cooler.
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Check foods. Don’t buy food if the package is damaged.
Throw away foods that
don’t look and smell fresh. Throw away eggs with cracked shells.
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Clean cutting boards and knives after each
use, or use disposable cutting boards.
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Don’t use marinades for dips or basting after they have been used on raw meat.
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Make sure raw meat juices do not leak on to other foods in the refrigerator.
Thaw frozen
meats in a pan on the lowest shelf.
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Use a meat thermometer to be sure meats are safe to eat.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a safe
cooking temperature chart on their website. (exit DHFS)
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Cook all seafood to 145 degrees. Do not eat raw seafood.
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Cook eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks begin to harden.
Don’t eat foods
that contain raw eggs. Pasteurized eggs can be used to make eggnog or mayonnaise.
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Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold until they are served.
To prevent illness hot
foods should be held at 140 degrees and cold foods should be held at
41 degrees until
served.
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Cool large containers of food quickly before storing.
You can place the container in ice
water or divide the food into small containers before placing them in the refrigerator or
freezer.
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Housekeeping
Many harmful bacteria can live for hours on kitchen surfaces. Keep your cutting boards,
counters, knives, dishcloths, and towels clean. Don’t use sponges in the kitchen.
They collect small pieces of food and are hard to clean.
Use a weak bleach solution (2 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water) to kill
bacteria. Keep the mixture in a spray bottle near the sink.
Tips on Housekeeping
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Wash hands with soap and hot water
before and after handling foods. Use paper towels to dry
hands.
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Clean your cutting board in hot, soapy water using a scrub brush to remove food.
Spray
it with a weak bleach mixture, rinse, and allow it to air dry.
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Keep counters and table tops clean.
Use a weak bleach mixture to kill germs.
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Use paper towels to clean juices from raw meat off kitchen surfaces.
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Use a clean dishcloth every day.
Damp sponges and dishcloths can hold millions
of germs.
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Clean your refrigerator and cabinets often.
Throw out foods that are moldy, spoiled or
stale. Wipe up spills and crumbs.
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Dust Allergies
Dust contains many things that can cause allergies, including animal dander, dust
mites, mold, and pollen. Air filter systems can reduce dust in your home.
Regular damp
mopping, vacuuming, and dusting are also important.
Tips for Allergy Sufferers
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Install an air filter on your heating system.
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Remove drapes, books, stuffed animals, and carpets from the bedroom of an allergy
sufferer.
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Use a dust-proof mattress and pillow cover.
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Avoid feather or down-filled pillows and comforters.
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Pest Control
Insects, mice and other pests enter homes in search of food, water, and shelter.
Once inside, they can be nuisance or cause health problems. Pesticides are dangerous
and can trigger allergies or asthma. They should be used only as a last resort.
Apply pesticides with care following the directions on the label.
If you have
questions about the safe use or disposal of a pesticide, contact the manufacturer.
An 800
number is usually on the label.
Tips on Pest Control
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Keep countertops clean and wash dishes soon after eating.
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Take out the trash every day. Store trash outdoors in animal proof garbage cans with
snug lids.
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Keep cereals, crackers, cookies, and sugar in sealed containers.
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Fix plumbing leaks so that water is not available to pests.
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Caulk cracks around the foundation of your home and repair damaged siding.
Holes where
electric and plumbing lines come through walls should be sealed.
Use screens on all
windows and vents, and install tight-fitting outside doors to keep mice, bats and insects
out.
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For more information
Prepared by the
Wisconsin Dept of Health and Family Services
Division of Public Health
Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health
Last Revised: June 22, 2007 |
