September 17, 2024

Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million people — or one of every six — get foodborne illnesses each year in the United States? That is why National Food Safety Education Month, designated in September, highlights the importance of careful handling and processing of foods. These precautions occur throughout the entire food cycle, from the initial production stages to when the food is actually consumed. Following proper handling is crucial at each of the steps to prevent foodborne illness, more commonly known as “food poisoning.”

What happens to food before it reaches our table?
There are many people and entities that contribute to safely getting food prepped for consumption with the final precautionary steps falling to food retailers and ultimately end-users. These entities and steps include:

• Production – those who grow, harvest, pack and hold food work hard to prevent conditions that can make food unsafe.

• Manufacturing & Processing – facilities that make, process, pack or hold food use good manufacturing practices and identify ways to control, minimize or prevent food safety hazards to reduce the risk of illness.

• Distribution & Delivery – people who receive shipments of food or who transport food from place-to-place take steps to keep food from becoming contaminated during loading, unloading, transporting and storage.

• Food Retailers & Food Service – grocery stores and restaurants take many steps to reduce the risk of food poisoning. El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) staff work with the more than 2,800 establishments in the county by providing guidance and education to ensure food safety in grocery stores and restaurants.

What can you do to avoid foodborne illness?
When you prepare meals and snacks for yourself, your family and your friends, it is important to follow food safety tips to help prevent foodborne illness. Here are some important steps for food-safe meal prep:

• Clean – everyone has a role to play in keeping food safe! Before it reaches your home, food safety steps are taken to reduce the risk of illness. Remember to wash hands and surfaces before preparing food at home.

• Separate – it’s important for everyone to separate raw meat, poultry and eggs from ready-to-eat foods.

• Cook – food thermometers should be used to make sure food is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Examples of safe minimal temperatures:

• • Cook raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to 145°F.

• • Cook raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to 160°F.

• • Cook egg dishes to 160°F.

• • Cook fish to 145°F.

• • Cook raw poultry to 165°F.

• Chill – keep a constant refrigerator temperature of 40°F using an appliance thermometer.

Click here to check out some additional tips to stay safe and healthy.

If you should happen to contract a foodborne illness from an El Paso County restaurant or other retail food service facility, please visit the EPCPH website here to report the issue.