RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses in the United States annually. Not all of these cases are reported or diagnosed.

However, the costs of foodborne illness are enormous. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that in 2000, Americans lost $6.9 billion associated with medical bills, lost work productivity and costs associated with premature death related to these illnesses.

So just what is foodborne illness, who’s at risk and how can you keep the food in your home safe?

Foodborne illness is simply an infection or illness that is transmitted to us from the food we eat. Oftentimes only one or two members of a family will become sick even though the entire family ate the same meal. This is, in part, because certain people are at higher risk. Young children, the sick, the elderly and people on certain medications often have lower immune systems that aren’t as capable at fighting off pathogens (microorganisms that cause disease).

Some foods are more likely to cause a foodborne illness (see table below). These foods typically are high in protein, moist and are only slightly acidic or have a neutral pH level. (Bacteria does not like to grow in highly acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits.) Other foods can become contaminated by the way they are grown, prepared or handled. Potentially Hazardous Foods Milk and milk products Cooked potatoes Raw Sprouts Meats: beef, pork, lamb Cooked rice Melon Poultry Cooked beans Shell eggs Fish Shellfish Soy-protein foods

The cook should always pay attention to the following risk factors for foodborne illnesses and the accompanying prevention strategies to help ensure that food remains safe:

• Foods held at between 41 and 135 degrees (the danger zone). Microorganisms thrive in these mild temperatures, so make sure your refrigerated storage is 40 degrees or below to help prevent microorganisms from multiplying in your perishable foods.

• Improper cooking temperatures.

Not everyone likes their food well done. Using a food thermometer will ensure that your food is safe and cooked the way you like it. Buy an inexpensive metal stem probe thermometer and insert it into the thickest portion of the food you’re cooking. The following table lists minimum cooking temperatures taken by a meat thermometer to ensure cooked foods are safe:

Food

Minimum Temp Minimum length of time the thermometer reads the minimum temperature

Poultry and stuffed meats 165 15 seconds

Ground Meats 155 15 seconds

Muscle Meats 145 15 seconds

Whole Roasts 145 4 minutes

Shell Eggs

145 15 seconds

Pork and Fish

145 15 seconds

If you plan to reuse potentially hazardous foods as leftovers, remember this rule: Cooked foods must be taken out of the danger zone within four hours. Leaving a pot of chili, chicken gumbo or potatoes on the lunch table all day is a recipe for disaster. Store these foods as quickly as possible in the freezer or refrigerator. A large volume of food can be divided into smaller storage bags or shallow pans for rapid cooling.

Cross-Contamination

Cross –contamination occurs any time a contaminant is transferred to a food we eat. The most common causes of crosscontamination include:

• forgetting to wash your hands or improperly washing them

• using cooking utensils that have not been sanitized

• using the same utensils to prep raw meats/poultry and ready-to-eat foods such as salads

• not washing foods that require no additional cooking such as many fruits and vegetables

The single most effective way to prevent cross-contamination is proper washing and sanitizing of your cooking tools. This includes your hands. Hands should be washed anytime you touch a surface that is potentially contaminated. The obvious examples include after using the restroom, touching your face and handling potentially hazardous foods. Do you wash your hands after answering the phone, changing the TV channel, opening a door/ cabinet, touching the family pet, turning on the sink or handling dirty laundry? We all multi-task to make the most efficient use of the little time we have at home; just don’t forget to properly wash your hands before returning to meal preparation.

Best way to wash your hands

Is there a right or wrong way to wash hands? You bet! The following steps should be used:

• Remove jewelry

• Wet hands with the hottest water you can tolerate

• Apply soap

• Rub hands together for 20 seconds making sure to scrub between fingers and finger nails, wrists and forearms.

• Rinse all soap

• Dry with clean unused cloth or single use paper towels.

• Turn off faucet with towel.

The truth is some foods are contaminated with pathogens when we purchase them. Proper preparation, cooking and storage practices reduce our chances of becoming ill. It is also true that we unknowingly contaminate perfectly wholesome foods with improper hygiene and crosscontamination techniques. My advice is to reduce your risk and help keep your home safe by adopting some of these best practices.

Scott Whitehurst is director of Nutritional Services at Conway Regional Medical Center. He has worked as a registered dietitian for the past 16 years.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 63 on 11/05/2009