How can I prevent food poisoning when cooking meat?

When it comes to handling meat, several steps can significantly cut your risk of foodborne illness or food poisoning. Before cooking up your next meaty meal, review these simple but important food safety tips:

• Use one cutting board for meats and another for vegetables and other ingredients.

• Keep raw meat and seafood separate from other foods. Store meats on the bottom shelf or bottom bin in your refrigerator to keep meat juices from dripping on other items.

• Thaw meats properly in the microwave or refrigerator. Never thaw frozen items by leaving them out on the counter or soaking them in hot water in the sink.

• If your recipe requires marinating for more than a minute or two, put meat and marinade in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

• In addition to handling meat properly, you need to cook it correctly, too. Relying on flesh color isn't enough. Buy a meat thermometer and make sure to cook hamburgers to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Food safety involves cleaning with soap and hot water all surfaces that have come into contact with raw meat. Do not use utensils or plates that have touched raw meat with cooked ready to serve meat. Cook meat until a food thermometer registers the appropriate temperature fahrenheit of the food as follows: ground turkey or chicken - 165, ground beef, veal, lamb or pork - 160, fresh beef, veal or lamb medium rare - 145, medium - 160, well done - 170, fresh pork medium - 160, well done - 170, fresh ham - 160, reheated commercially cooked ham - 140, vacuum sealed ready to eat reheated roast beef - 140, poultry - 165, leftovers - 165.

Wash your hands and surfaces often! That means wash your hands before and after you handle uncooked meat and the cutting board or utensils used in preparation of it. Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination. Using a cutting board designated for raw meat can be really helpful … consider a red one to easily remember. Then be sure the meat is cooked thoroughly.

Check out this temperature chart:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asp#5

Use a proper meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat for the most accurate reading. Then, do be sure to thoroughly clean the thermometer after every use. All that’s left to do next … enjoy!

View this video for tips to prevent food poisoning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtkbPBrH4I

Always start preparing food by washing your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.  Second, keep your raw, uncooked meats separate from vegetables etc.  Consider using two different colored cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination.  The juices from the raw meats can increase your risk of food poisoning if they come in contact with other foods.  Once cooked to the right temperature, ensure that food is maintained at the correct temperature for it to be safe until eating.  If kept at the room temperature for more than one hour in 90+degrees F or for more than two hours in <90 degrees F, the food is unsafe.  Refrigerate your leftovers as soon as possible to prevent bacterial growth build up.  When reheating food/left-overs ensure that you heat it to the right temperature.

Visit foodsafety.org for additional food safety tips.