Have you ever gotten stomach cramps or diarrhea and wondered if it was from something you ate or drank? Singles in particular often keep food in the refrigerator way past its shelf life.

Usually, the consequence is acute gastroenteritis. But some bacteria can cause serious long-term illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year one in six Americans or 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from food contaminated with bacteria. There are 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illnesses. The most commonly responsible are:

• Campylobacter (poultry)
• E. coli O157 (ground beef, leafy greens, raw milk)
• Listeria (deli meats, unpasteurized soft cheeses, produce)
• Salmonella (eggs, poultry, meat, produce)
• Vibrio (raw oysters)
• Norovirus in many foods (e.g., sandwiches, salads)
• Toxoplasma (meats)

But 80 percent of foodborne illnesses are caused by unknown agents – those not tracked by public health agencies.

Unfortunately, we are sometimes our own worst enemies – that is, our behavior creates unsafe conditions that help dangerous bacteria to multiply rapidly. Here are some myth busters about food handling, courtesy of the Partnership for Food Safety. See if you’re guilty of harboring any of this misinformation:

Myth 1:  Leftovers are safe to eat until they smell bad.

Fact: Most people would not choose to eat spoiled, smelly food. However, if they did, they would not necessarily get sick. This is because there are different types of bacteria, some of which cause illness in people and others that don’t. The types of bacteria that do cause illness do not affect the taste, smell or appearance of food. For this reason, it is important to freeze or toss refrigerated leftovers within three or four days. If you are unsure of how long your leftovers have been sitting in the refrigerator, don’t take the risk. When in doubt, throw it out!

Myth 2:  Plastic or glass cutting boards do not hold harmful bacteria on their surfaces like wooden cutting boards do.

Fact: Any type of cutting board can hold harmful bacteria on its surface. Regardless of the type of cutting board you use, it should be washed and sanitized after each use. Solid plastic, tempered glass, sealed granite and hardwood cutting boards are dishwasher safe. However, wood laminates don’t hold up well in the dishwasher. Once cutting boards of any type become excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves, they should be discarded.

Myth 3:  The stand time for microwaveable foods is optional; it’s just so you don’t burn yourself.

Fact: Stand time is an important part of the cooking process. The time is necessary to bring the food to a safe internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer. To ensure safety with microwave cooking, always read and follow package instructions, know your microwave’s wattage and use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Myth 4:  Rinsing raw chicken in water will remove bacteria like salmonella.

Fact:  Rinsing poultry will not remove bacteria. In fact, it can spread raw juices around your sink, on to your countertops and on to ready-to-eat foods. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry can only be killed when cooked to a safe internal temperature, which for poultry is 165°F, as measured with a good thermometer. Save yourself the messiness of rinsing raw poultry. It is not a safety step and can cause cross-contamination.

Myth 5:  You should not put hot foods in the refrigerator.

Fact: Hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator. A large pot of food like soup or stew should be divided into small portions and put in shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. Food is not safe to eat after sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours. Bacteria grow rapidly above 40°F. Always refrigerate perishable foods within two hours. And if left out in a room or outdoors where the temperature is 90°F or hotter, food should be refrigerated within one hour.

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Reduce your risk of foodborne illness by practicing these four steps:

• Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables, including those with skins or rinds that are not eaten.
• Separate – Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods like salads. Use different cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination.
• Cook –Check internal temperature with a good thermometer to ensure safe temperatures have been reached—ground meat, 160°F;  roasts/steaks,165°F;  poultry, 165°F;  fish, 145°F;  leftovers, 165°F.
• Chill - Refrigerate immediately and keep refrigerated foods below 40°F.

For more information, visit http://www.fightbac.org/.

Photo credit: Raw uncooked chicken

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