Preventing Foodborne Illness in Your Kitchen

Preventing Foodborne Illnesses in Your Kitchen For millions of people home is where the hearth is, and in a home the kitchen is one of the main places everyone gathers. Yet, a kitchen can be deadly without you even realizing the danger is present. Bacteria are present. Every surface in your kitchen has bacteria on it, some are benign (meaning they do not make you sick) while others are benign until ingested and can make you very sick. When it comes to the prevention of foodborne illness there are four steps to food safety you can take to protect you and your family every day. They are: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Prevention is one of the main factors to staying healthy. By following these four steps you strive to decrease the possibility of causing a foodborne illness either from your actions or an unclean kitchen. The Centers for Disease Control notes that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. * About 10 million U.S. adults were unable to work during 2002 due to health problems. * Infectious diseases cost the U.S. $120 billion a year. * More than 160,000 people in the U.S. die yearly from an infectious disease. * Salmonella infections are responsible for an estimated 1.4 million illnesses each year. (1) What is a foodborne illness? According to Wikipedia, “a food borne illness is defined as any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food.” (2) There are many types of germs (viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi) that could cause foodborne illnesses. Salmonella (bacteria) is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness. This is what you might find on the cutting board in your kitchen: Dr. Kenneth Today, PhD (2009) states that “Salmonella is caused by contaminated water or eating

References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). An Ounce of Prevention Keeps the Germs Away. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ounceofprevention/docs/oop_brochure_eng.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (31 July 2009). Food Safety. Retrieved from http: www.cdc.gov/foodsafety Partners for Food Safety Education (2006). Safe Food Handling. Retrieved from http://www. Partners for Food Safety Education (2006). Safe Food Handling, Myth Busters. Retrieved from http://www.fightbac.org/content/view/151/2/ Today, T. (2009). Todar’s online textbook of Bacteriology. Retrieved from http://textbookofbact eriology.net/salmonella 3.html