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
Proper hand-washing has the power to reduce food poisoning and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu. View Article
From your hands to kitchen counters, it is important to wash. However, when it comes to food, the rules of washing are not as clear. View Article
Illness-causing bacteria can survive and spread around your kitchen. Wash the right way to prevent these bacteria from spreading to your food. View Article
If you clean your dishes by hand, the following steps can help ensure your dishes are clean and safe to use. View Article
You can find illness-causing germs all around your kitchen. So, it's important not only to wash your hands, but also to clean kitchen surfaces and sponges to prevent the spread of bacteria. View Article
Should one buy fruits or vegetables in season or out of season? At the supermarket or from the farmers market? These are frequent questions that consumers often face when purchasing fresh produce. View Article
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
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
When you want to disinfect your hands fast, you may reach for a bottle of hand sanitizer. But how effective is hand sanitizer compared to washing your hands with soap and water? View Article
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
Cooking for a crowd isn’t the same as cooking for yourself. You’re preparing more food for more people, which may increase the risk for food poisoning. View Article
Cloth grocery totes are convenient and environmentally friendly but could they also be making you sick? View Article
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
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
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
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
How do you like your vegetables? If you are among one of the many households in the United States who preserve their own food, then chances are you enjoy homegrown vegetables fresh from your own canning jar. You may be part of a growing segment of Americans who are returning to the "farm your own food" way of life to cut food costs and eat healthfully. View Article
The best way to teach kids about eating right is to 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
Whether you're a leftover lover or more the take-out type, heat, eat (and repeat!) with this home food safety "dish" from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. View Article
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 should know the safest way to savor lightly cooked meat. View Article
Have you ever thought of taking your thermometer's temperature? For the sake of both food safety and quality, it’s a good idea to give your food thermometer a regular check-up. View Article
If you plan to adventure into the game meat territory, remember this quick guide for safe handling and cooking tips for meat from game animals. View Article
Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning. View Article
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
You can't tell if a food is safely cooked by sight, smell or even taste. A food thermometer is the only way to ensure food is cooked to the proper temperature and harmful bacteria are eliminated. View Article
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
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
Here's how to keep some of your favorite foods fresh and tasting their very best after opening. View Article
Lunches containing perishable foods should never be left out of refrigeration for more than two hours, so reduce your risk of food poisoning with these tips to keep food safe as it travels from the kitchen to the school cafeteria or office. View Article
Prior to grilling, roasting or sautéing, a food is soaked in a marinade to enhance flavor and potentially tenderization or juiciness. Though a marinade can transform food from humdrum to yum, if not utilized with culinary care it can lead to food safety uncertainty. View Article
Some food containers are safer than others when it comes to personal and environmental health. Here's what you need to know about plastic and glass storage containers. View Article
When it comes to keeping your food fresh and safe, your refrigerator is your best friend. If you can't remember the last time you gave your fridge a good wipe down — or it's so stuffed you can't find a thing in it — it could be time for an overhaul. View Article
Cooling foods keeps them out the "danger zone" — between 40°F and 140°F — and slows the growth of illness-causing bacteria. Refrigerate promptly and properly to reduce your risk of food poisoning. View Article
Refrigeration is a helpful tool to keep foods fresh longer. When food is held at a proper temperature, the growth of bacteria slows down, which helps reduce the risk of food poisoning. View Article
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
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
