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  • Four Steps

    How Clean Are Your Kitchen Surfaces?

    You can find illness-causing germs all around your kitchen, from appliances and utensils to kitchen surfaces and cutting boards. For this reason, it's important not only to wash your hands, but also to clean utensils, surfaces and appliances before and after handling food in order to prevent the spread of bacteria. View Article

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    Washing Leafy Greens

    From arugula to watercress, leafy greens are fresh, beautiful, tasty and healthful. There's one golden rule that applies to any leafy greens: Between purchasing and plating, washing them properly is key to food safety. View Article

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    How to Safely Clean Baby Bottles

    From first words to first steps, there are many firsts to come for your baby — but food poisoning shouldn't be one of them. Learn the basics of baby bottle safety to protect your infant. View Article

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    How Clean Is Your Refrigerator?

    Mold, bacteria and spills in the refrigerator can put you at risk for food poisoning. Maintaining a clean refrigerator can help improve the safety and quality of your foods. For the best cleaning results, always refer to your refrigerator's owner's manual, but here are a few simple refrigerator cleaning tips. View Article

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    Keeping Your Cooler Clean

    After a day of fun in the sun, it's easy to empty your cooler and forget about it until your next outing. But a clean, safe cooler starts before your next picnic even begins. Take good care of your cooler and you'll ensure that it's bacteria- and germ-free every time you use it. View Article

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    Spring Cleaning 101

    Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to give the kitchen a good food safety check and cleaning, especially refrigerators and freezers where raw meat, poultry and seafood is stored. Follow these tips for a thorough spring cleaning. View Article

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    Hand Washing

    Did you know that proper hand-washing may eliminate a large percentage of food poisoning cases and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu? Don't miss out on these potential health benefits, scrub up today keeping these tips in mind. View Article

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    Dos and Don'ts of Kitchen Sponge Safety

    Though you can't eliminate 100 percent of germs lurking in a sponge, there are several ways to dramatically reduce the risk of cross-contamination — which can lead to food poisoning — with these dos and don'ts. View Article

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    Preventing Cross-Contact at Home

    For the 15 million people with food allergies, 3 million with celiac disease and many more with other sensitivities, avoiding contact with an offending food is a big concern. Coming into contact with a miniscule amount of the offending food can cause life threatening reactions in people with food allergies or cause damage to the intestines of those with celiac disease. View Article

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    The Rules of Separation at the Grill

    During grilling season, cross-contamination, a leading cause of food poisoning, tops the list of food safety concerns. When juices from raw meats or bacteria from unclean items touch cooked or read-to-eat foods, cross-contamination can occur, spreading harmful bacteria that can make you sick. View Article

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    Cross-contamination

    It's common knowledge that eating raw meat can make you sick, but you may still be at risk for food poisoning if you don't properly separate your foods to prevent cross-contamination. View Article

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    Food Allergies, Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

    It can be quite confusing when one person avoiding gluten can't eat French fries prepared in a shared fryer, but another will take a small bite of bread pudding. The array of terminology used only adds to the confusion: allergy, intolerance, sensitivity, celiac disease. View Article

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    Reusable Grocery Tote Safety

    Reusable cloth grocery totes are convenient and environmentally friendly, but could they be making you sick? Here's how to reduce your risk of food poisoning. View Article

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    Separate To Keep Food Safe

    Wash, separate, cook, refrigerate. It's the mantra of food safety. But how much attention do you pay to step number two? Separating is a key step in preventing food poisoning. When raw foods like meat, poultry, seafood and eggs come into contact with cooking surfaces, utensils and other foods, they can leave invisible bacteria behind, resulting in cross contamination. View Article

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    Cutting Board Safety

    When juices from raw meats or germs from unclean objects accidentally touch cooked or ready-to-eat foods (such as fruits or salads), cross-contamination occurs. If not cleaned correctly, the board harbors harmful bacteria. View Article

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    Mega Meals - Food Safety in Five Steps

    Cooking for a crowd is not the same as cooking at home. You are preparing more food for more people, which may result in an increased risk of food poisoning. When cooking and preparing food for your next group gathering, follow these important steps. View Article

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    Separate - The Basics

    Bacteria can spread through cross-contamination. This occurs when raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs come in contact with ready-to-eat foods like bread and vegetables, so keep them separate. View Article

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    Cooking Guide for High Altitudes

    As elevation increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases, or becomes thinner. The atmosphere becomes drier and liquids evaporate more rapidly, resulting in the need for changes in cooking methods. High altitude is defined as an elevation of 3,000 feet or more above sea level. View Article

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    Cook Once, Eat Safely throughout the Week

    After spending a long day at work, enjoying a home-cooked meal sounds appealing; however, not everyone has the time and energy to sweat over a hot stove every night. The solution is to prepare meals over the weekend and reheat them during the week. The question is, how far in advance can meals be prepared while still being safe to eat? View Article

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    10 Food Safety Tips for the Slow Cooker

    Slow cookers are a convenient way to whip up a delicious dish with minimal effort. Just throw all of the ingredients in the pot, turn it on, head to work, come home and dinner is ready to be served. View Article

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    How to Use a Food Thermometer

    The only way to know that food is cooked to the correct temperature and eliminate harmful bacteria that may be present is to use a food thermometer. However, a food thermometer is only helpful if you are using it properly. View Article

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    Is It Done Yet? Safe Cooking Temperatures

    Your ultimate kitchen companion is here! The Is My Food Safe? App will help answer all of your food safety questions and reduce your risk of food poisoning. Download the app for free in the Apple or Android Store. View Article

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    Can Rare Meat Be Safe?

    Do you enjoy meat that is cooked until it is just rare or medium-rare? It's okay if you're not a fan of well-done meat. You don't need to give up enjoying foods prepared the way you like. But you will want to know the safest way to savor lightly cooked meat. View Article

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    Teaching Kids to Cook

    The best way to teach kids about eating right is to actually get them into the kitchen to prepare healthy meals together. Cooking is a valuable life skill that teaches children about nutrition and food safety, as well as building math, science, literacy and fine motor skills. View Article

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    Choosing a Food Thermometer

    Stores carry a wide variety of food thermometers, from traditional dials to even disposable varieties. Take a look at those listed below and pick which type is best for you and remember to use it every time you cook. View Article

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    Complete List of Cooking Temperatures

    Don't rely upon sight, smell or taste alone to determine if your food is safe to eat. Make sure foods are cooked to a safe minimum internal cooking temperature by using the chart below and testing the food with a food thermometer to make sure this temperature is reached. View Article

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  • Four Steps

    Freezing 101

    Freezing is an effective way to make perishable items last longer. The process of freezing prevents the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds that cause food spoilage and food poisoning. However, it is important to follow these tips to safely freeze and protect the quality of your foods. View Article

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    Packing the Perfect Cooler

    When you're planning a day outdoors, bringing a cooler can keep your food safe, fresh and tasting great for hours. However, to get maximum mileage out of your cooler — and minimize the chance of food poisoning — you have to load it properly. View Article

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    Food Safety During Power Outages

    During power outages, food spoilage can be a serious problem when refrigerators and freezers lose power. Consumers can help avoid spoilage and foodborne illness in their homes by making sure foods stay properly refrigerated during a power outage. View Article

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    Storage in the Cupboard

    The cupboard is a great place to store all your shelf-stable foods, from pasta to cookies. If stored correctly, non-refrigerated foods will keep their peak quality for longer. View Article

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    Thawing Frozen Foods

    Thawing is primarily used for frozen meats, poultry and seafood as most vegetables can be cooked without thawing. It is important to follow these guidelines to thaw safely because bacteria can multiply rapidly when left unrefrigerated for more than two hours in the so called temperature "danger zone." View Article

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    Maximize Food Safety in a Mini-Fridge

    College is a busy time full of new experiences. Many students may live in a dorm and use a dorm-size "mini-fridge." Even though a mini-fridge may be small, the same food safety principles apply. View Article

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    Leftover Safety

    Saving leftovers to eat later is a great way to avoid overeating while also saving money. Before you reheat and eat, follow these simple steps to reduce your risk of food poisoning. View Article

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    Safe School Lunch Boxes

    To keep the "lunch box bug" called food poisoning out of children's school lunches, follow these tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. View Article

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