About Food Safety

At a glance

  • Foodborne germs can lead to illness, hospitalization, and death.
  • Follow key steps to prevent food poisoning - clean, separate, cook, and chill.

Overview

CDC estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.

Top 5 foodborne germs causing illness

  1. Norovirus
  2. Salmonella (non-typhoidal)
  3. Clostridium perfringens
  4. Campylobacter
  5. Staphylococcus aureus

Top 5 foodborne germs causing hospitalizations

  1. Salmonella (non-typhoidal)
  2. Norovirus
  3. Campylobacter
  4. Toxoplasma gondii
  5. E. coli O157

Top 5 foodborne germs causing deaths

  1. Salmonella (non-typhoidal)
  2. Toxoplasma gondii
  3. Listeria monocytogenes
  4. Norovirus
  5. Campylobacter

Prevention

Following four simple steps can help prevent food poisoning:

  1. Clean
  2. Separate
  3. Cook
  4. Chill
Keep Reading: About Four Steps to Food Safety

Resources

Safer Food Choices

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)