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The latest salmonella outbreak is upon us. At least eight people have come down with salmonella-related food poisoning, which has caused 1.8 million pounds of raw chicken to be recalled.
The chicken that’s been recalled is breaded, stuffed raw chicken, sold by Barber Foods in the US. While this probably doesn’t sound like something a lot of us would eat, this is definitely a wake-up call for us to remember what to look out for and how to prevent salmonella-related food poisoning. Everyday Health recently interviewed Doug Powell, a former food science professor specializing in food safety, who had some advice on staying salmonella-free.
First, let’s resolve some myths.
- It’s not only old people and young children who are at risk. While these groups account for most hospitalization cases for salmonella, anyone can end up hospitalized if they don’t drink enough fluids during their infection. If you do contract salmonella, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to replace the ones you’re losing.
- Freezing won’t kill salmonella. All it does is neutralize it while it’s frozen, but you’re just as much at risk once the food is heated up.
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So how can you prevent it? Here are some preventative measures that will significantly decrease your risk.
- Use your meat thermometers. All raw products should have the proper cooking temperature listed on them, and you should be using it. Even if you’re just heating up a meat product in the microwave, be sure to take the temperature all the way in to the middle of the food to make sure it’s safe.
- Try not to microwave your meat. Microwaves don’t always heat evenly, which could mean there’s still bacteria left on your meat.
- Don’t cross-contaminate. Always clean any surface that the meat will or has touched, and don’t cut other foods on the same surfaces as raw meat. Any surface that does touch raw meat should be cleaned as soon as possible.
- ALWAYS wash your hands. Wash them before and after handling any contaminant, including raw meat, outdoor plants, or pets. Always wash your hands before eating, too.
Salmonella is totally preventable when we’re preparing our food correctly, but one slip-up could put you at risk. So take measures to stay safe, and we can prevent more salmonella outbreaks!
What measures do you take to prevent salmonella?
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