- Food poisoning affects over 48 million Americans a year and causes 3,000 deaths.
- A microbiologist shared how she prevents food poisoning when cooking with The Conversation.
- Using different chopping boards for cooked and raw foods was one tip Primrose Freestone gave.
Food poisoning is a common and sometimes lethal condition. Every year, an estimated 48 million Americans fall ill, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In June, a man from Missouri died after contracting “flesh-eating” vibrio vulnificus bacteria from contaminated raw oysters. In September, multiple individuals in Bordeaux, France were hospitalized, and one woman died, due to botulism from improperly preserved sardines at a wine bar.
While such cases are rare, it is still important to prioritize food safety. Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, UK, shared her tips on how to prevent food poisoning while cooking in an article for The Conversation.
Check Use-By Dates
Freestone recommends regularly checking the use-by dates of perishable items like vegetables, meat, or yogurt. However, if something appears or smells unusual prior to the expiry date, it may be contaminated.
“If it is before the expiry date and the food package looks swollen, or when opened the food looks or smells different than expected, I throw it in the bin,” she advised.
Use Separate Chopping Boards
As a microbiologist, Freestone emphasizes the importance of using different chopping boards for raw and cooked food. Improperly cleaned boards can harbor harmful bacteria, as stated by the Food Standards Agency.
To prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and allergens, it is crucial to use separate cooking equipment for raw meat or poultry and other foods. Cross-contamination can occur if juices from raw meat come into contact with cooked food, leading to the spread of bacteria.
Only Consume Cooked Meat and Shellfish
Freestone highlights that well-cooked food is unlikely to be contaminated with harmful bacteria, as heat effectively kills germs. Therefore, she exclusively consumes cooked shellfish and checks the temperature of meat with a thermometer (which should reach 158 degrees Fahrenheit) before consuming it.
Eating raw or undercooked shellfish puts individuals at risk of infection, even without visible signs of contamination. Harmful bacteria may not look, smell, or taste different from any other shellfish, such as oysters.
Avoid Reheating Rice
Freestone strongly advises against reheating rice, as uncooked rice may contain Bacillus cereus, a pathogenic bacteria. While cooking rice kills off the bacteria, spores can survive and quickly grow into bacteria if the rice is left to cool and sit at room temperature. Consuming these toxins can result in vomiting and diarrhea lasting up to 24 hours.
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