At a glance
- Some foods are more likely than others to contain germs that can make you sick.
- To prevent food poisoning, follow the four steps to food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Keep hands and surfaces clean, keep risky foods separate from other foods, cook food properly, and refrigerate promptly.
- If a food is recalled, throw it away.
Overview
Some foods are more likely to contain germs that can make people sick. These risky foods can spread germs to you, surfaces in your home, and other foods and cause food poisoning.
Know which foods are riskier and take simple steps to reduce your risk of food poisoning.
Riskier foods
Some foods are more likely to contain harmful germs, including:
- Raw or undercooked poultry, meat, seafood, or eggs
- Raw or undercooked sprouts
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables
- Cut melon
- Unpasteurized milk, juice, cider, or soft cheese
- Raw dough or raw batter made with uncooked flour
Prevention steps and strategies
Follow the four main steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
Wash your hands and surfaces often
Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen.
- Wash your hands before, during, and after preparing food and before eating. Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm or cold water.
- Wash utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.
Separate foods to avoid cross-contamination
Raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate. The table below shows how to keep risky foods from cross-contaminating other foods.
When grocery shopping
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from other foods.
When storing food
Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods.
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed containers or wrap them securely so the juices don't leak onto other foods.
When preparing food
Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread, and other foods that won't be cooked.
Cook to the right temperature
Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick.
The only way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. You can't tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture (except for seafood).
Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Learn how to place the thermometer correctly in different food to get an accurate reading.
Safe internal temperatures for different foods
Whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork, including fresh ham
145°F (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
Fish with fins
145°F or cook until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
Ground meats, such as beef and pork
160°F
All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey
165°F
Leftovers and casseroles
165°F
Microwave food thoroughly
Follow recommended cooking and standing times. Letting food sit for a few minutes after microwaving allows cold spots to absorb heat from hotter areas and cook more completely.
- Know your microwave's wattage. Check inside the door, owner's manual, or manufacturer's website. If your microwave is high wattage (800 watts or more), use the minimum cooking time recommended. If it is low wattage (300–500 watts), use the maximum cooking time recommended.
- When reheating, use a food thermometer to make sure that microwaved food reaches 165°F.
Refrigerate food promptly
Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the "Danger Zone" between 40°F and 140°F.
Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
Keep your refrigerator cold
Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and your freezer at 0°F or below, and know when to throw food out before it spoils. If your refrigerator doesn't have a built-in thermometer, keep an appliance thermometer inside it to check the temperature.
Storing food in the refrigerator
Package warm or hot food into several clean, shallow containers and then refrigerate. It is okay to put small portions of hot food in the refrigerator since they will chill faster.
Refrigerate perishable food (meat, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables, and cooked leftovers) within 2 hours. If the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like a hot car or picnic, refrigerate it within 1 hour.
Thaw food properly
Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw food on the counter because bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.
Recalled food
Throw away recalled foods and clean your refrigerator if you stored a recalled food there.
