1. Home Food Safety Home Food Safety
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association)
Consumer program addresses critical steps to safely prepare food in the home
Provides easy, actionable tips, quizzes, a free app and more
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, presents Home Food Safety – a program in collaboration with ConAgra Foods that teaches simple but critical steps that consumers can take to prepare food safely in their own homes.
Please note: This presentation was designed to provide registered dietitians who do not have specific food safety training or certification with the basic information they need to educate their clients about home food safety. It does not constitute additional training, continuing education credits or certification. Additional resources and training opportunities are outlined at the end of this presentation.

2. Why Food Safety Is Important
Home Food Safety
Why Food Safety Is Important
According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get foodborne illness each year
128,000 people are hospitalized each year
3,000 deaths each year
Incidents of foodborne illness often go unreported, making it difficult to determine the true number of cases and costs of treatment in any given year. Yet we do have some compelling information based on cases of foodborne illness that receive medical treatment.
These are estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; the numbers seem to be decreasing as more data is collected, but foodborne illness is still a major health problem in the United States.

3. Consumers and Food Safety
Home Food Safety
Consumers and Food Safety
In 2011, 89% use different plates for handling raw meat and cooked meat, compared to 85% in 2002
In 2011, 20% use a food thermometer to check the doneness for read meat, pork or poultry, compared to 25% in 2002
In 2011, 91% wash utensils used to handle raw food before they are used for cooked food, compared to 82% in 2002
From 2002 – 2011, consumers have improved in some areas but still have a ways to go in others when it comes to practicing food safety at home according to a survey* conducted by ADA:
In 2011, eighty-nine percent use different plates for handling raw meat and cooked meat. This is an improvement from the eighty-five percent in 2002.
In 2011, twenty percent use a food thermometer to check the doneness for read meat, pork or poultry. This is down from twenty-five percent in 2002.
In 2011, a whopping 91% wash utensils used to handle raw food before they are used for cooked food. This is an improvement from 82% in 2002.
*Source: ADA Benchmark Survey 2002 and 2011

4. Common Foodborne Illnesses
Home Food Safety
Common Foodborne Illnesses
Illness
Potential Sources
Salmonella and
Campylobacter
Poultry
Meat
Eggs
Unpasteurized milk/dairy products
Raw produce
Listeria
Raw milk
Soft cheese
Luncheon meats/hot dogs
E. Coli
Raw/undercooked meat
Unpasteurized milk
This chart shows some of the major foodborne illnesses and their potential sources.
Please note that un-opened, pasteurized milk is rarely a problem. Raw (unpasteurized) milk, however, can pose a significant risk of Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Cross-contamination can occur when raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, or eggs come into contact with ready-to-eat foods.
Raw produce – especially sprouts, raw leafy greens, raw herbs and other vegetables that grow in soil – may contain E. Coli, Salmonella, or Listeria. In addition, rinds of melons can contain pathogens. The outside of cantaloupes, honey dew, and watermelon, for example, should be thoroughly washed before slicing, to prevent contamination when cutting the fruit.
Ways to avoid this problem will be addressed later in the presentation.

5. Infections and its Symptoms
Home Food Safety
Infections and its Symptoms
How does foodborne illness occur?
Contaminated foods carry microbes into the body
Some microbes can overcome the body’s defenses and cause infections
What are its typical primary symptoms?
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea
More than 250 different infections and intoxications are associated with foodborne illness.
Contaminated foods carry microbes into the body; some of these microbes can overcome the body’s defenses and cause infections.
Symptoms of foodborne illness include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
If you think you and/or a family member have contracted a foodborne illness, contact your health care provider.

6. Home Food Safety Who’s at Risk? Everyone is at risk.
Groups with an increased risk include:
Young children
Pregnant women
Elderly men and women
Individuals with autoimmune disorders, liver disease or decreased stomach acidity
Alcoholics – because of possible liver damage/disease
Individuals with reduced immune function due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and those taking steroids or antibiotics to treat immune deficiencies
Individuals who are malnourished
Individuals with viruses
Individuals in institutionalized settings
Everyone has the potential to contract foodborne illness.
Certain populations, however, can be at far greater risk of developing serious illness, due to underdeveloped or impaired immune systems.
These groups include:
Young children
Pregnant women
Elderly men and women
Individuals with autoimmune disorders, liver disease or decreased stomach acidity (due to gastric surgery or antacid use)
Alcoholics – because of possible liver damage/disease
Individuals with reduced immune function due chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and those taking steroids or antibiotics to treat immune deficiencies
Individuals who are malnourished
Individuals with viruses
Individuals in institutionalized settings like daycare centers and nursing homes

7. Home Food Safety Risks You Can Control
Improper refrigeration and storage
Poor personal hygiene
Cross-contamination
Contaminated food sources
Undercooking
Other time and temperature mistakes
Though everyone has the potential to contract foodborne illness, there are environmental factors we can control that can reduce those risks significantly.
This presentation will discuss how to store food properly at home, take proper hygiene precautions, prevent cross-contamination, cook food to proper temperatures and avoid mistakes in food preparation.
It is also important to know and trust the source of your food. Selecting quality products is a first step in preventing foodborne illness.

8. Ensuring Food Safety at Home
Home Food Safety
Ensuring Food Safety at Home
Wash hands often
Wash produce before cutting, cooking or eating
Wash utensils and cutting boards after each use
Keep kitchen surfaces clean
Keep raw meat and ready-to-eat foods separate
Cook food to proper temperatures and use a food thermometer
Refrigerate food promptly to below 40°F
Pay close attention to use-by dates - when in doubt, throw it out!
There are some critical but simple steps to ensure food safety at home:
Wash hands often
Wash raw produce before cutting, cooking or eating
Wash utensils and cutting boards after each use
Keep kitchen surfaces clean
Keep raw meat and ready-to-eat foods separate
Cook food to proper temperatures
Refrigerate food promptly to below 40°F
Pay close attention to use-by dates

9. Home Food Safety Wash Hands Often Effective handwashing may
eliminate nearly half of all cases of
foodborne illness
Use warm, soapy water
Wash front and back of hands, up to your
wrists and under nails
Handwashing should last 20 seconds
(or through two choruses of
“Happy Birthday”)
Rinse thoroughly
Dry with a paper towel, clean cloth or air dry
Handwashing is an extremely important part of the food safety process and may eliminate nearly half of all cases of foodborne illness.
In addition, handwashing can significantly reduce the spread of colds and flu.
Many people aren’t aware of proper handwashing techniques.
Warm soapy water is necessary to kill the unseen germs that may be on your hands.
The primary function of soap is to allow you to remove dirt and pathogens from your hands. You may kill some, but the point is that you scrub to release them from your hands, and then you rinse to send them down the drain.
It is important to wash all surfaces of your hands, up to your wrists, between fingers and especially under fingernails.
To estimate 20 seconds, clean your hands through two choruses of “Happy Birthday.”
When rinsing, use the same agitation you used for washing.
It is very important not to re-contaminate hands by using a dirty cloth to dry them…even cloths that seem to be clean may harbor harmful bacteria. Always use a paper towel or clean cloth towel to dry your hands – or let them air dry.

10. Home Food Safety When to Wash Your Hands Before you: Prepare food
Eat meals
Feed children
After you:
Handle raw foods (including meats, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables)
Switch food-preparation tasks
Use the restroom
Change a diaper
Cough or sneeze
Handle garbage or dirty dishes
Touch a cigarette
Use the phone
Play with a pet
Touch a cut or sore
Not only is important to wash your hands properly, but also to wash them frequently.
Always wash your hands:
Before you:
Prepare food
Eat meals
Feed children
After you:
Handle raw foods (including meats, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables)
Switch food-preparation tasks
Use the restroom or change a diaper
Cough or sneeze
Handle garbage, dirty dishes or cigarettes
Use the phone
Play with a pet
Touch a cut or sore

11. Kitchen Surface Safety
Home Food Safety
Kitchen Surface Safety
Clean kitchen surfaces, appliances and tools with hot, soapy water
Wash dishcloths and towels in the washing machine hot cycle
Sanitize sponges in bleach solution
Replace sponges frequently
Do not use dish towels for multiple jobs
Wash reusable grocery bags
Now that your hands are clean, don’t forget your kitchen surfaces…if surfaces and tools aren’t clean, they can spread germs just as easily as your hands.
Keep kitchen surfaces such as appliances, countertops, cutting boards and utensils clean with hot, soapy water.
A damp, smelly dishcloth, towel or sponge is a sure sign that unsafe bacteria is lurking nearby. Bacteria live and grow in damp conditions. Wash dishcloths and towels often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
Sanitize sponges in a chlorine bleach solution (one teaspoon of bleach added to one quart of water) and replace worn sponges frequently. Although, pay close attention to what the sponge was used to wipe up. If it was a drip from raw meat, it’s necessary to clean the sponge and sanitize it in a diluted bleach solution before using a second time. Also, please note that bleach solutions need to be made fresh daily. Once diluted, bleach breaks down quickly.
Use different towels for different tasks: one for drying hands, one for dishes, one for wiping the counter, etc.
Also, if you use reusable grocery totes makes sure to wash them often.

12. Keep Raw Meat and Ready-to-Eat Foods Separate
Home Food Safety
Keep Raw Meat and Ready-to-Eat Foods Separate
What is cross-contamination?
Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate to prevent the spread of bacteria
Cross-Contamination is the transfer of harmful substances or disease-causing micro-organisms to food by hands, food-contact surfaces, sponges, cloth towels and utensils that touch raw food and then touch ready-to-eat foods. Cross-contamination can also occur when raw food touches or drips onto cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
Keeping raw and ready-to-eat foods separate helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Ready-to-eat foods do not require additional preparation or cooking. They include:
All food that has already been cooked
Raw, washed, cut fruits and vegetables

13. Prevent Cross-Contamination
Home Food Safety
Prevent Cross-Contamination
Store raw meat on bottom shelf of refrigerator
Wash all produce, even pre-packaged/pre-washed
Store washed produce in clean container
Wash plates between uses or use separate plates
Use one utensil to taste and another to stir food
Use clean scissors to open bags
Wear disposable gloves if you have a cut or sore
Keep Raw Meat and Ready-to-Eat Foods Separate
How to prevent cross-contamination:
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so juices will not drip onto other foods.
Wash all produce in cold running water just before preparing or eating, except for bagged produce labled “triple washed” or “ready-to-eat.”
Use a clean scrub brush on firm produce with rough surfaces.
Place washed produce in clean storage containers, not back in original ones.
Wash plates between uses or use separate plates: one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood; another for cooked foods.
Use one utensil to taste and another to stir or mix food.
Use clean blades or scissors to open bags of food.
Wear disposable gloves if you have a sore or cut on your hand.

14. Use Cutting Boards Safely
Home Food Safety
Use Cutting Boards Safely
Use two cutting boards – one for raw meat , poultry, and seafood and one for ready-to-eat foods
Wash boards thoroughly in hot, soapy water or place in dishwasher
Rinse
After cutting raw meat, poultry and seafood, wash, rinse and sanitize boards
Discard boards with cracks, crevices or scars
Acrylic, glass, marble, plastic or wood cutting boards can be safe if you follow some basic food safety guidelines:
Use two cutting boards – one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, the other for ready-to-eat foods like bread and vegetables.
After cutting raw meats on your board, wash in the dishwasher. To clean by hand, scrub thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, then sanitize with a bleach solution (1 teaspoon bleach in a quart of water). Air dry or dry with a clean cloth. If using a dual purpose product, such as a commercial cleaner/sanitizer combination, follow manufacturer's instructions for application.
Discard old cutting boards that have cracks, crevices or excessive knife scars.

15. Cook to Proper Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Cook to Proper Temperatures
Harmful bacteria are destroyed when food is cooked to proper temperatures
The only reliable way to determine “doneness” is with a food thermometer
Wash the thermometer in hot, soapy water after each use
Harmful bacteria are destroyed when food is cooked to proper temperatures.
A food thermometer is the only reliable way to determine the “doneness” of cooked food and to ensure safety – do not rely on the color of the meat.
Remember to wash the thermometer stem in hot, soapy water after each use.

16. Taking Food Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Taking Food Temperatures
How to Use a Thermometer*
*Remember to wash thermometer thoroughly after each reading.
Red meat, roast, steak, chops, poultry pieces
Insert into thickest part of meat, away from bone, fat, gristle
Whole-bird poultry
Insert into inner thigh area, near breast, not touching bone
Ground meat, poultry
Insert into thickest area of meatloaf or thick patty, reaching the very center with stem; for thin patties, insert sideways to center
Egg dishes, casseroles
Insert to center of thickest area of dish
Fish
Fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork
To get an accurate reading with a meat thermometer, it is important to insert the thermometer properly. Following the instructions in this chart will help you get an accurate reading on meat, poultry and other dishes.
Always cook fish until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
And always remember to wash the thermometer in hot, soapy water after each use…if the food is not quite done at your first reading, you must wash the thermometer thoroughly before taking the next reading.

17. Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures
Beef, Lamb and Veal
Ground meat products
(patties, meatballs, meatloaf)
160°F
Roasts, Steaks, Chops
Medium-rare
Medium
Well-done
145°F
170°F
Here are some safe cooking temperatures for beef, lamb and veal. Note that ground meat (hamburger, meatloaf, meatballs, etc.) should always be cooked to at least 160°F – the same as “medium” under roasts and steaks.
*Remember to wash thermometer thoroughly after each reading.

18. Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures
Poultry
Ground chicken/turkey
165°F
Whole chicken/turkey
Boneless turkey roasts, poultry breasts, white meat roasts
Poultry thighs, wings, drumsticks
Duck/goose
Stuffing (alone or in-bird)
Here are safe temperatures for cooking poultry.
You’ll notice that these are considerably higher than for red meat and that dark meat needs to be cooked to a higher temperature than white meat.
Also note: Whether you cook your stuffing alone or inside your bird, you need to check it with a thermometer to make sure it is at least 165°F. Insert the thermometer into the center of the dish to get an accurate reading.
*Remember to wash thermometer thoroughly after each reading.

19. Safe Cooking Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Safe Cooking Temperatures
Pork
All cuts and ground products
Medium
Well-done
160°F
170°F
Raw ham
145°F
Pre-cooked ham, reheated
*Remember to wash thermometer thoroughly after each reading.
This chart gives safe cooking temperatures for pork products.
Remember, it’s just as important to use your thermometer when reheating ham as it is when you are cooking raw ham.

20. Safe Cooking Temperatures
Home Food Safety
Safe Cooking Temperatures
Miscellaneous
Eggs and egg dishes
160°F
Leftovers, reheated
165°F
*Remember to wash thermometer thoroughly after each reading.
Cooking eggs thoroughly is just as important as cooking meat properly.
Remember that any kind of leftovers – whether reheated in the oven or a microwave – should always be checked with your meat thermometer to make sure they reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

21. Refrigerate Food Promptly to Below 40°F
Home Food Safety
Refrigerate Food Promptly to Below 40°F
Between 40°F and 140°F is food “danger zone” where bacteria multiply rapidly
Refrigerate within two hours – one hour in hot weather (90°F and above)
Store food in shallow containers to ensure even cooling
Add ice to thick items (e.g., soup, chili, sauces) to speed up cooling process
Set refrigerator to below 40°F and freezer below 0°F – use a refrigerator thermometer
Shorter storing times and storing foods away from light will improve nutrition quality and palatability. Storing food at appropriate temperatures will also improve quality.
Food is in a “danger zone” when it is between 40°F and 140°F. This “danger zone” provides the optimal environment for harmful bacteria to multiply.
It is important not to leave food, even fully cooked food, out of refrigeration for extended periods of time…no more than 2 hours – or one hour if the temperature is 90°F or above.
When storing food, use shallow containers (two inches in depth or less) to ensure even cooling. For thick items such as soup, chili or sauces, add ice to speed up the cooling process.
Once food is in the refrigerator, make sure the refrigerator is set to the proper temperature. Use a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that the temperature in your refrigerator is below 40°F.
Also, if food has been out longer than the times mentioned above…throw it out!

22. Recommended Storage Time for Leftovers
Home Food Safety
Recommended Storage Time for Leftovers
Cooked beef, pork, poultry
3-5 days
Fried chicken
3-4 days
Egg dishes
Fresh eggs in shells
3-5 weeks
Sliced deli meats
Milk
7 days
Pizza
Salsa
3 days after open
Cheesecake
Most refrigerated foods, especially leftovers, have short shelf-lives, and most consumers don’t realize opened packages have shorter shelf-lives than unopened packages.
Here is a list of some leftovers and their recommended storage time.
For a more complete food storage guide, download the Is My Food Safe? App.

23. Home Food Safety Every Meal, Every Day Wash hands often
Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate
Cook food to proper temperatures
Refrigerate food promptly to below 40°F
The last line of defense against foodborne illness is what you do in your home.
Always remember to:
Wash hands often
Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate
Cook to proper temperatures – use a meat thermometer
Refrigerate promptly to below 40°F – use a refrigerator thermometer
You can reduce your risk of foodborne illness by being diligent at every meal, every day – Home Food Safety…It’s in Your Hands®.

24. Additional Resources and Training
Home Food Safety
Additional Resources and Training
The Academy’s Home Food Safety
Is My Food Safe? App
“Home Food Safety…It’s in Your Hands® 2002 Survey: Comparisons to the 1999 Benchmark JADA,” September 2003.
The Academy’s Center for Professional Development
Partnership for Food Safety Education, FightBAC!
Safe Food for You and Your Family (The American Dietetic Association Nutrition Now Series) by Mildred McInnis Cody, American Dietetic Association
Food Safety for Professionals (Second Edition) by Mildred McInnis Cody, M. Elizabeth Kunkel
For more information, visit – the site includes fact sheets about food safety while traveling, safe outdoor cooking, lunchbox safety, what to throw out when there’s a power outage, safe eating at the office, doggy-bag dining, holiday food safety and more.
Also, download the Is My Food Safe? App for a guide to safe cooking temperatures, a food storage guide and food safety quizzes.
For an in-depth look at food safety behaviors, read the JADA article on the results of the 2002 Home Food Safety Benchmark Survey, available on the JADA website, In addition, you can find information on continuing education on the ADA Center for Professional Development web site,
The Partnership for Food Safety Education's Fight BAC!® is committed to being a key resource for consumers on important issues related to food safety in the home.
For a great guide on food safety read, Safe Food for You and Your Family, written by one of the expert panelists for Home Food Safety…It’s in Your Hands® program, Mildred Cody. This book explains how to detect hidden dangers at home or away, which foods are potentially unsafe, and how they become contaminated. Valuable tips include preventing the spread of bacteria in your kitchen, how to tell if food has gone "bad," storing and serving safe foods, and how to pack bag lunches safely and order at restaurants, markets, and delis.
For more technical food safety information you can also pick up Food Safety for Professionals (Second Edition) which is targeted toward dietetics professionals in particular but is also useful for food safety professionals.