Food can kill you!
Here are some dangerous food mistakes
Sometimes a simple mistake can have grave consequences.
What may seem like a small food safety mistake can cause
serious illness with long-term consequences.
When it comes to some germs, such as Salmonella, all it
takes is 15 to 20 cells in undercooked food to cause
food poisoning. And just a tiny taste of food with
botulism toxin can cause paralysis and even death.
Here are some common food safety mistakes that have
been proven to cause serious illness.
Tasting food to see if it’s still good
Tasting food to see if it’s still good is bad because you can’t taste (or smell or see)
the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Tasting only a tiny amount can cause serious illness.
You should throw food out before harmful bacteria grows.
Putting cooked meat back on a plate that held raw meat
Putting cooked meat back on a plate that held raw meat is bad because germs from
the raw meat can spread to the cooked meat. You should always use separate plates for raw
meat and cooked meat. The same rule applies to poultry and seafood.
Thawing food on the counter
Thawing food on the counter is bad because harmful germs can multiply extremely
rapidly at room temperature. You should always thaw food safely in the refrigerator,
in cold water, or in the microwave.
Washing meat or poultry
Washing meat or poultry is bad because washing raw meat or poultry can spread bacteria
to your sink, countertops, and other surfaces in your kitchen. You should not wash meat,
poultry, or eggs.
Letting food cool before putting it in the fridge
Letting food cool before putting it in the fridge is bad because illness-causing bacteria
can grow in perishable foods within two hours unless you refrigerate them. You should
refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature is over 90°F.
Eating raw cookie dough (or other foods with uncooked eggs)
Eating raw cookie dough is bad because uncooked eggs may contain Salmonella
or other harmful bacteria. You should always always cook eggs thoroughly.
Avoid foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs.
Marinating meat or seafood on the counter
Marinating meat or seafood on the counter is bad because harmful germs in meat
or seafood can multiply extremely rapidly at room temperature.You should always marinate
meat or seafood in the refrigerator.
Using raw meat marinade on cooked food
Using raw meat marinade on cooked food is bad because germs from the raw meat
(or seafood) can spread to the cooked food. You can reuse marinade only if
you bring it to a boil just before using.
Undercooking meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs
Undercooking meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs is bad because cooked food is safe only after it’s
been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. You should always use a food thermometer.
Not washing your hands
Not washing your hands is bad because germs on your hands can contaminate the food
that you or others eat. You should wash hands the right way - for 20 seconds with
soap and running water.
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