CHICAGO, Dec. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
start of a new year offers the opportunity to reflect and consider
what you can do to make your life happier and healthier. Resolve to
be food safe in 2015 and reduce your risk of food poisoning with
tips from Home Food Safety, a public awareness campaign from the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods.
"While many focus resolutions on health goals like weight loss
or training for a marathon, it's also important to consider food
safety," said registered dietitian and Academy Spokesperson Joy
Dubost. "By following a few simple steps to safely handle food at
home, you can keep food safe and dramatically reduce your risk of
food poisoning."
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 85 percent of all foodborne illness could be
prevented if people just handled food properly.
"The reality is that one in six Americans is sickened by food
poisoning each year, and while it may mean flu-like symptoms for
some, foodborne illness can cause severe and even life-threatening
illnesses in others, including young children and infants, pregnant
women, older adults and people with chronic diseases like
diabetes," she said. "Food safety is an important investment in
your family's health."
Dubost offers advice from www.HomeFoodSafety.org:
Wash your hands. Hand washing has the potential to save
more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention,
according to the CDC. Wash hands thoroughly in warm, soapy water
for at least 20 seconds.
Buy and use a food thermometer. The only way to determine
if harmful bacteria has been eliminated is to cook food to a safe
minimum internal temperature. Always use a food thermometer to
ensure food is fully cooked. Don't rely upon sight, smell or
taste.
Keep it clean. Use hot, soapy water to wash countertops
and surfaces, cutting boards, refrigerator door handles and
utensils. After cleaning, keep it clean by avoiding
cross-contamination. Start by washing hands thoroughly after
handling raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs. And use a separate
cutting board for raw meat and poultry from the cutting board you
use for ready-to-eat foods like bread and produce. Wrap raw meat
and poultry in sealed containers or plastic bags and place on the
bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent the raw meat juices
from dripping onto other foods and surfaces.
Safely store leftovers. Perishable food should not be
left at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate or
freeze leftovers within two hours of serving or throw them out. (In
hot weather, when 90°F or above, toss within one hour of serving.)
Use an appliance thermometer to check that the refrigerator is
cooling to 40°F or below and the freezer to 0°F or below.
For more simple steps to safely handle food at home and reduce
your risk of food poisoning, visit www.HomeFoodSafety.org.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods' Home
Food Safety program is dedicated to raising consumer awareness
about the seriousness of food poisoning and providing solutions for
easily and safely handling food in their own kitchens. More
information can be found at www.HomeFoodSafety.org.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world's largest
organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is
committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the
profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's largest food makers with
branded and private branded foods found 99 percent of America's
households, as well as a strong commercial foods business serving
restaurants and foodservice operations globally. Consumers can find
recognized brands such as Egg Beaters®, Healthy
Choice®, Hunt's®, Marie Callender's®, Orville Redenbacher's®, and many
other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by ConAgra Foods
under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience, mass
merchandise, club stores and drugstores. ConAgra Foods also has a
strong commercial foods presence, supplying frozen potato and sweet
potato products as well as other vegetable, spice, bakery and grain
products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice
operators and commercial customers. For more information, please
visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.
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SOURCE Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics