Food poisoning-protect your family

Food poisoning is a serious risk to health. Although U.S. food supplies continue to be one of the world's best regulated and safer, each year 76 million Americans suffer from illnesses of the food they eat. The federal Centers for Disease Control, which monitors episodes of food borne illness, also reports that 300 thousand people per year require hospitalization for food borne illness, and each year, five thousand Americans die from food borne illness. Prevention of illness and death is a significant challenge for the departments of federal and State public health.

Food safety is also an area where their individual actions can significantly reduce the risk to his family. Procedures for handling and storage of safe foods can decrease the chances of bacterial and viral contamination. The following safety tips carry the endorsement of US Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and public health.

It begins with the store. Buy your food only stores and suppliers that you are assured good sanitation practice. If you have questions about sanitation practices from a vendor or from the shop, don't hesitate to ask. Food handlers and vendors who are responsible care as much as you do about food security and will be happy to discuss their practice.

Seems to count. If the food looks discolored or age, or if your packaging is cracked, or a Tin is bulging cans do not buy it. Any of these signs may indicate bacterial contamination.

Keep it cold. Refrigerate milk products, fish, meat and poultry, and fruit and vegetables, so you can. Cooling greatly retards the growth of dangerous viruses and bacteria that cause diseases.

Keep them separated. Be sure to store raw and cooked food separately. Store in covered containers.

Keep it short. Foods cooked or meat should not stay in the fridge for more than three days.

Not too full. Don't let your refrigerator stay pretty full. Air-cooled needs to be able to move around all in the fridge so that it can efficiently cool.

Clean hands. It is more the basic rule of food handling: always wash your hands before you handle food. Make sure that all work more in their kitchen, washes, too. Most food borne diseases in homes are transmitted by unwashed hands.

Wash when you switch. When you are dealing with various types of food not cooked in its own kitchen, such as seafood, poultry, raw meat or vegetables, wash your hands in warm water and SOAP before you move from one food to another.

Keep your tools safe. Wash cooking utensils, trays, chopping, pots, pans and anything else that affects food carefully as your washing your hands.

In doubt, throw it away. Any food that smells bad, or "off" is suspect. Don't eat it.

If you are worried about a food you bought, don't eat it. Throw it out. Back to where you boughtand tell them about the problem, so they can verify it. You can also report your concern with your local City Department responsible for food safety. Your report can allow others in the community to be protected against the same problem. These simple procedures below will give you greater peace of mind and keep you and those you love more secure.