Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the results of its internal review of the agency’s actions — and inaction — in connection with the February 2022 recall of powdered infant formula manufactured by Abbott Nutrition’s plant in Sturgis, MI. The FDA’s self-evaluation paints a grim picture. The report documents the ways the FDA mishandled the incident through a lack of urgency and many missed signals, resulting in a frightening nationwide shortage of infant formula – the sole source of nutrition for many infants and other people with certain metabolic conditions.

The agency’s evaluation evidences the often antiquated, dysfunctional and inadequate processes and structures the FDA relies upon to protect our food supply. For example, the report identifies critical areas for improvement including developing a specialized training program for investigators charged with inspection and oversight of infant formula and an inadequate process for whistle blower complaints that may have delayed its response.

While the FDA’s candor in acknowledging these deficiencies is somewhat refreshing, the fact that they even exist in 2022 demonstrates the FDA’s past inability or unwillingness to take decisive and necessary action to prevent this type of food safety disaster from reoccurring. The Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law in 2011, was transformational because it focused on prevention and created a path for more effective and efficient food safety regulation. Yet, eleven years later, the Act’s full potential remains unrealized as the FDA continues to resist needed culture change and remains stuck operating in a reactionary mode without clear leadership on vital food safety issues.  

While the FDA evaluation neatly shares a collection of missteps involving Abbott Nutrition in a single document, it is devoid of much meaningful substance. The report presents the details of an investigation into the incident at the Sturgis plant that lacks depth, and the report makes no substantive calls for impactful agency change, leaving stakeholders disappointed once again. Most disheartening, the evaluation fails to address FDA’s fragmented food safety leadership. This deficiency should have been cited and explored under Finding 4, which instead simply acknowledges “a lack of clarity of roles,” without addressing the full scope of the problem or urging any solutions. Perhaps this lack of clarity would not have been an impediment to swift agency action at the Sturgis Plant had the FDA empowered a singular food safety expert with authority and oversight of the food program to manage and lead through this type of a crisis.

Similarly troubling are Findings 13 and 14 of the report, which identify gaps in understanding Cronobacter as impediments to the FDA’s response to the incident at the Sturgis plant and the effectiveness of the agency’s infant formula compliance program. Yes, Cronobacter is not a nationally reportable disease, but it is far from a new contaminant to powdered infant formula. Nonetheless, the report recommendation that follows Finding 14 suggests that updating a policy guide and resuming unannounced surveillance inspections will solve the problem. This proposal begs the question: how will these recommendations substantially reduce the possibility of contaminated powdered infant formula once again entering commerce and making people sick?  Moreover, why doesn’t the evaluation make a strong call to action to have Cronobacter added to the mandatory reportable list?  In the spring, Commissioner Califf testified that it is time and necessary for Cronobacter to be reportable to identify outbreaks. Indeed, reportable diseases are those considered to be of great public health importance.¹ Since Cronobacter has a mortality rate of up to 80 percent in infants², is there any legitimate disagreement that Cronobacter is a disease of great public health importance? The relative rarity of Cronobacter does not diminish its importance. Botulism is rare, yet it is on the reportable list.   

Stop Foodborne Illness is the “Voice for Safe Food.” We represent all consumers with a focus on those who have been affected by foods causing severe illness and, in many cases, death. We are raising our voice in response to the FDA’s evaluation because we know that consumers are the ones who incur the cost of deficient food safety systems and processes.

It is time for the FDA to engage in a transparent process that provides a clear roadmap to overcome the shortcomings its own report identified, including leadership accountability and culture change. The FDA’s mission is to ensure public health and safety, but the current fragmented leadership structure and lack of action will continue to fail to protect American consumers. Decisive, expert leadership must be empowered to correct the agency’s current trajectory and guide it toward a new and improved food safety culture.

¹ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001929.htm

² https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1911338

Sign our petition to get Cronobacter sakazakii on the mandatory reportable list.  Sign here: https://www.change.org/p/infants-are-dying-get-cronobacter-sakazakii-on-the-nationally-reportable-disease-list

About the author: With more than two decades of experience at Feeding America, including time as the non-profit’s director of food safety, Mitzi Baum is the chief executive officer at the Chicago-based organization Stop Foodborne Illness. Baum worked at Feeding America for 23 years, helping guide the growth of what is now the largest hunger relief organization. It now includes more than 200 food banks and provides essential foods to 46 million people annually. Baum’s experience in the food sector began before her time with Feeding America. She had a 10-year restaurant management career, working in Atlanta, Cincinnati and Chicago, which included Chicago’s Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. She is an adjunct instructor for Michigan State University’s Online Master of Food Safety program. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science in restaurant/hospitality management from Bowling Green State University and her Master’s of Science in Food Safety from Michigan State University.

Stop Foodborne Illness, the Voice for Safe Food, is calling on the FDA and CDC for Cronobacter sakazakii to finally be added to the Nationally Notifiable Disease List.

Currently, local and state health partners are not required to report infections from this deadly pathogen, which means:

• The FDA is unlikely to know of incidents that cause illnesses or death, and therefore cannot mandate a recall;
• Epidemiologists are less able to identify illness clusters or better understand root causes of outbreaks;
• There is underreporting of Cronobacter sakazakii illnesses; and
• Ultimately, more infants will get sick, and some will die.

In our efforts to reduce foodborne illnesses in general and Cronobacter sakazakii illnesses specifically, STOP has sent the following letter to Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Robert M. Califf, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dear Drs. Walensky and Califf,

Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP), the “Voice for Safe Food,” represents all consumers and works to prevent foodborne disease. I am writing to call for

Cronobacter sakazakii to be added to the Nationally Notifiable Disease List.

The current international infant formula recall, which has been linked to illnesses in at least five children and has been linked to the tragic deaths of two infants, calls for an urgent and expedited response. Although rare, Cronobacter sakazakii  is extremely deadly to infants younger than three months of age, yet it is not included in CDC’s important pathogens that local and state health partners must report identifying.

The lack of inclusion of this devastating pathogen on the Nationally Notifiable Disease List only adds to the potential of underreporting of illnesses, making it difficult for epidemiologists to do their important job of identifying clusters of illnesses to better understand sources and root causes of outbreaks. Lack of reporting also reduces the chances that FDA will become aware of incidents that need swift response and corrective action to protect infants.

Federal agencies have focused their efforts on infant and maternal health for detection of Listeria monocytogenes; STOP appeals to both agencies to institute the same standards for Cronobacter sakazakii. There must be equivalent surveillance for both deadly bacteria.

Now is the time to act. How can parents have trust in a system that does not protect the most vulnerable?

Sincerely,
Mitzi D. Baum
STOP CEO

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Recent published data has demonstrated there was a reduction in foodborne illness cases in 2020, but can we admit that the beginning of this decade was not much better than the previous two decades when it comes to food safety and foodborne illness prevention?  Reflecting on the federal government’s Healthy People 2010 and 2020 established goals, as a food safety community we have failed to meet the minimum outcomes for more than 20 years.

Healthy People 2030 may be different. Specifically, we have an opportunity to achieve the stated goals regarding Salmonella. This work is urgent, yet the industry and USDA remain slow to modernize poultry Salmonella prevention.

Today’s poultry Salmonella performance standards haven’t been updated since the early 1990’s. You read that correctly — the standards haven’t been updated since your phone was plugged into a wall and had a six-foot-long cord attached to it. But we aim to change that.

In January 2021 Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP), and our initial coalition partners, petitioned the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) to modernize poultry inspection performance standards. We are calling for them to be enforceable, risk-based, science-based, and directly linked to public health outcomes. 

It is noteworthy that the coalition expanded to include academia, additional consumer advocacy groups, STOP constituent advocates, former senior regulatory officials, and four of the largest poultry producers in the United States — Butterball LLC, Wayne Farms LLC, Perdue Farms, and Tyson Foods. This partnership called upon USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to support the call to action.  

In October, Secretary Vilsack made an official announcement that a review and update of the Salmonella standards is to be made a priority. Now, with engagement by Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin and her team, we are communicating and working to move toward meaningful change.

This work is critical and could deliver a significant reduction in Salmonella illnesses and deaths if those participating are courageous and remain focused on the bottom line of public health.  This is how progress can be achieved.  This is how we accomplish our community’s stated minimum goals. This is how we can collaborate to be effective, accountable, and stop foodborne illness.  

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Editor’s note: As part of our coverage of national Food Safety Education month we publish the following column from STOP Foodborne Illness.

This time of year food lovers’ enjoy one of their favorite traditions: visiting local farmers markets. In addition to all the invigorating colors, exquisite aromas, strong flavors, and spirit of community, the farmers market is also an opportunity to develop one-on-one relationships with the people who produce some of your food. Their passion for food can be quite inspiring.

Stop Foodborne Illness, a national public health organization whose mission is preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens wants to remind you that no matter where you get your food – by supporting friendly local farmers or by shopping your neighborhood supermarket – food safety is always important.

Food that is fresh is a delicious treat. Organic and sustainable farming doesn’t use pesticides, chemicals, hormones and other additives, but it isn’t necessarily safer when it comes to foodborne illness – because everything is still grown in the dirt, and handled by humans. Pathogens such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella are found naturally in soil, as well as manure. Which basically means, everything needs to be washed.

Farmers and vendors selling food at the farmers market, as well as consumers/shoppers should understand the necessary steps to reducing the risk of illness from food.

Most states have passed legislation regulating farmers’ markets. For example, in Illinois, most home-canned foods other than jams, jellies and preserves cannot be sold at the farmers markets. Typically, farmers markets must be inspected by local health department officials  who make sure each market meets food safety standards, and most vendors, including those from so-called “cottage industries,” must be licensed to sell their products at farmers markets.

For a list of farmers markets in your area click here.

If you’re interested in policies and regulations affecting farmers markets in your state, contact the department of health. For more information click here.

What to look for when it comes to safe food handling

The condition of the vendors’ booths and their products can tell you a lot about their safe food practices. Here are some things to look for:

• Clean hands. Dirty fingernails or a filthy aprons aren’t appetizing. For vendors serving food – are they wearing gloves, and is their hair covered?
• A certification notice. Some vendors will display certificates that show they have been trained in food safety. These are good indicators that their foods are handled properly.
• The carton is clean. When buying eggs, look to see if the carton is clean – inside and out, and make sure the eggs are clean and not cracked. Reused egg cartons are fine, if clean.
• Cold foods are cold. Meats, cheeses and other dairy, and eggs should be kept cold. Salads and cold sandwiches should feel like they’re straight from the fridge.
• Meat, poultry and fish are cooked to a safe temperature.  The only way to determine a safe temperature for meat, poultry or fish, is by using a cooking thermometer. If you’re not sure, ask.
• Hot foods are hot. The “Danger Zone” for food (where bacteria multiply quickly) is between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F. Cooked foods like soups and burgers should be “piping” hot.
• Samples are being safely handled. Vendors using gloves, tongs, tissues, or other utensils are doing it right. They shouldn’t be using bare hands. Are knives, serving utensils, dishes, and service surfaces kept clean? If not, take a pass on these foods.
• Ciders, juices, and dairy products are pasteurized. Since unpasteurized foods are serious sources of foodborne pathogens, shoppers should ask when products, including the samples, are not clearly labeled.

On hot days …

• Be mindful of jars open for sampling — sauces, salsas, jams, pickles and so on — they should not be out for more than two hours at outdoor temperatures. One hour, if it’s over 90 degrees F. Many markets have started offering hand-washing stations with hand sanitizer. We encourage you to use them.
• If you’re purchasing perishables like dairy, eggs, or meat bring a cooler or insulated bag with ice to the market, so your newly purchased products can be kept cold for the ride home in the hot car.
• Make the farmers market your final stop before heading home. Your fresh veggies and fruit, and other perishable foods, won’t have to sit long in a hot car and will make it to the refrigerator that much more quickly.

Download Quick Facts here.

Foodborne illness is no laughing matter; serious cases can have severe and long-lasting consequences. Keep in mind that babies, young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to serious attacks of foodborne illness.

Stop Foodborne Illness is a national nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens by promoting sound food safety policy and best practices, building public awareness, and assisting those impacted by foodborne illness. For more food safety tips please visit www.Stopfoodborneillness.org/awareness/.

Foodborne illness can really wreck a party, so we’re asking dads everywhere to brush up on their food safety knowledge. “It can happen to anyone,” says Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness. “We are all susceptible to the dangerous foodborne pathogens that cause 3,000 people to die each year with another 128,000 hospitalized. Many continue to suffer from on-going consequences including heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal and stress disorders long after their illness is over.”

 On our website, Stop Foodborne Illness features an honor wall, where we share the stories behind the statistics. You can read first-hand accounts of both survivors and those that succumbed to foodborne illness, including the following two stories:

Ken
Lives can be forever altered by the sudden and confusing experience of foodborne illness. Thankfully, this father lived to tell the tale. In 2011, Ken was handling raw hamburger meat, making dinner for himself and some friends. After two days of continuous vomiting and diarrhea, Ken noticed blood in his stools. At the urging of his doctor, Ken immediately went to the ER, where he was given three liters of IV fluids, and the doctors ran some tests. Two days later, the hospital had results: Salmonella. Ken was prescribed a week of antibiotics, which began his slow recovery. With help from the Maine Center for Disease Control and the 13 other cases that had arisen in nearby states, Ken determined the origin of the infection. It was a three-pound bag of ground beef, of which he had handled and cooked only one pound.

“I know we’re all here for a limited time, so I was never afraid of dying. My kids have seen me go through a lot. I keep a positive attitude to show them how to keep your balance, even through adversity. I’ve always taught them to live each day the best they can.” Ken’s children have seen him battle a monster. But, “I am still here,” he says, “and I still have the opportunity to live and put a smile on people’s faces.” Ken believes that when we come together to help one another, that’s when life is best. “My children are living happy and successful lives, and I’d like to think I had a hand in that.” Despite the trauma he experienced, he is determined to keep a balanced life and pass on a message of positivity and perseverance. Read Ken’s full story here.

Riley
Riley was 16 months old in 1993, when an E. coli outbreak dominated the news in the Pacific Northwest. Because Riley had never eaten hamburger and wouldn’t anytime soon, his dad was more concerned about his nine-year-old brother. That did not matter, however, as Riley became ill not from directly eating food contaminated with a foodborne pathogen, but because of person-to-person contamination — from another child in his daycare who was sick with E. coli. Only 23 days after he became infected with E.coli and later developed HUS – requiring dialysis, exploratory surgery removing a large part of his intestines, and being placed in a medically induced coma — Riley died from a massive brain hemorrhage and multiple organ failure. “Seeing two men carrying my young son in a white coffin on a cold February morning is an image that is forever burned into my memory. That coffin was far smaller than a coffin should ever be,” says Darin, Riley’s father.

After Riley passed, Darin refused to let his son’s death be in vain.

He became an advocate for food safety, along with parents like himself, helping the government make food safer. Over the next five years, Darin was speaking, writing, and working as a consultant to the USDA’s Pathogen Reduction Program. This experience led him, when he started teaching high school history, math and science, to bring this message with him. During his teaching years, he was certified by the FDA as a Food Science Educator and presented before legislators, industry, national organizations, and consulted with and was featured in numerous print and broadcast media. After 15 years of classroom teaching, Darin left his job and moved to the East Coast to pursue his desire to work in some capacity to prevent others from suffering from foodborne illness.

For two years, he was the senior policy coordinator for Stop Foodborne Illness. Meanwhile, he conducted and defended his doctoral research on states’ ability to implement federal food policies. Today, he is a professor of food policy, lead faculty of a regulatory affairs of a graduate program in food, and an assistant dean at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. And he is the author of two recently published books, “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions” and “Building the Future of Food Safety Technology: Blockchain and Beyond.”

Darin believes that focusing one’s energy solely on the failures in the past is neither healthy nor sustainable. He says, “Supporting and inspiring those who act to prevent future failures can bring about immeasurable rewards. Our world needs these voices and their passion to help inspire the changes we all need. My drive has been to create a future where fewer families live with a chair forever empty at the dinner table.”

“I lost my son, yes.  But my son did not lose his father.”

  By focusing on inspiring the future generations of food safety heroes, Darin finds incredible fulfillment, but, more importantly, he also finds peace in those opportunities to still be a father to his son.

 About the organization: Based in Chicago, Stop Foodborne Illness is a national nonprofit public health organization whose mission is to support and engage people directly impacted by foodborne illness and mobilize them to help prevent illness and death by driving change through advocacy, collaboration, and innovation. https://stopfoodborneillness.org/

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Seeing your first robin may be the sign of warm things to come, but once Easter and Passover have arrived, you know that Spring is here! Interestingly, both Easter and Passover include the wondrous egg, as a springtime symbol of new life, in their festivities.

We all know the Bunny brings Easter eggs, but what many folks don’t know, is that Passover Seders (ceremonial meals) typically include a hard-boiled egg course. Additionally, many recipes for Passover, which is also known as the “feast of unleavened bread,” call for eggs or egg whites which take the place of yeast and other leavenings.

Eggs are a symbol of new life. Enjoy them but be aware of the risks they carry.

If not handled smartly, eggs can cause food poisoning because salmonella is a common bacteria found in uncooked, unbroken eggs. Salmonella can be present on both the outside and the inside of eggs. Stop Foodborne Illness, the national advocacy group that educates people on being food safe (http://stopfoodborneillness.org), has some good advice on how to keep your holiday “eggstravaganza” pathogen-free.

The bad news is Salmonella poisoning:

• Typical symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever.
• Symptoms usually last, at least, a couple of days.
• Susceptibility and severity are generally associated with babies and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and others with compromised immune systems. However, anyone can get ill from salmonella.
• Severe cases can be life-threatening.

The good news is that there are safe ways to handle and prepare eggs! If you follow these guidelines from Stop Foodborne Illness, you and yours will be much more likely to have a fun and safe holiday!

Always choose clean and fresh eggs. When purchasing eggs, open the carton and make sure they’re clean, and intact. Handle with care: Chickens can harbor Salmonella without showing any signs of being sick, so all unpasteurized eggs — even those that are fresh, organic, or unbroken — can contain Salmonella. Buying in-shell pasteurized eggs reduces that risk.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Everybody, including children, must wash their hands with soap and water before and after handling eggs – which includes prepping, cooking, cooling, dyeing, hiding and hunting them.

Be smart with Easter eggs. Decorating eggs for the holiday is a joy, but do it safely by using only food-safe dyes. Use care when hiding eggs outside or in. The total time for hiding and hunting eggs should not exceed 2 hours. Avoid areas where eggs would come in contact with pets, wild animals, birds, or lawn chemicals. Eating eggs that have been on the ground is not recommended. Don’t hide cracked eggs because bacteria could contaminate the inside. Cracked eggs should never be used. A good alternative is to use plastic Easter eggs for the hunt and save the real eggs for eating.

Refrigerate, refrigerate, refrigerate eggs at 40 degrees F or below. Safely storing and cooking your eggs before consumption is important. When storing eggs make sure they go inside the fridge, not the fridge door. Once hard-cooked, refrigerated eggs can be stored for up to one week. Eggs can be out of refrigeration for 2 hours (when it’s under 90°F) and still be safe to eat. Colored eggs being used as decoration (for several hours or days) should not be eaten. Even though eggs will show signs of spoilage (taste, smell, appearance) when they’re past the “best by” date, we don’t recommend using this as an indicator of an egg’s safeness – mainly because eggs that harbor Salmonella taste, smell, and appear exactly the same as “normal” eggs.

Avoid cross-contamination and cook eggs thoroughly

• Using soap and water, wash your hands and all surfaces that may have had contact with raw eggs. This includes countertops, pots and pans, utensils and dishes.
• Don’t let in-shell eggs, raw whites or yolks cross-contaminate foods that will be eaten raw.
• Eggs should be cooked until the egg white and yolk are firm. A lightly cooked egg with a runny yolk increases your chance of pathogenic contamination. If a recipe calls for lightly cooked eggs, we recommend using pasteurized egg products.
• Dishes with eggs in the recipe must be cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C)
• Eggs should be eaten or refrigerated within 2 hours after cooking.
• Do not eat eggs that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Know the safest way to boil eggs
According to Deirdre Schlunegger, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness, when cooking hard-boiled eggs, place a single layer of eggs in a saucepan. Cover the eggs with at least one inch of water. When the water is at a full boil, remove the pan from the heat source and let the eggs stay in the water for between 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs. After the eggs have set for the appropriate amount of time, run cold water over them. When the eggs are cooled enough to handle, put them in the refrigerator.

If you and your loved ones celebrate the holidays at a restaurant, and the dish calls for lightly cooked eggs—as some sauces do—ask your server if the dish can be prepared using pasteurized eggs, or liquid egg products, when possible.

Some other Spring holiday food safety tips
Easter Ham: If your Easter ham is prepared with a fresh, uncooked ham, be sure to cook it to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) and allow the ham to rest for a few minutes before serving. Always avoid cross-contamination from countertops, knives, dishes and pots and pans. Do not let the uncooked ham come into contact with foods you will eat raw.

If you purchase a pre-cooked Easter ham, which can be served cold or heated, be sure to reheat leftovers to at least 140°F before serving.

Beef brisket: This is a popular Passover dish that nearly everyone enjoys if it is prepared well. This cut of meat needs to be cooked for a long time because it is less tender. Preferably, set the oven temperature to 350°F and no lower than 325°F. Place the brisket fat-side up. The brisket should be almost covered with water and the cooking pan should be lidded. Brisket should be cooked for about one hour per pound of meat to a safe temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Avoid cross-contamination from the uncooked meat.

Lamb: Lamb is another popular dish for Easter and Passover. Remember that lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F. Let it rest a few minutes before serving. As always, avoid cross-contamination with uncooked meat and juices.

Be smart with leftovers, too
Making a little extra is almost a given at holiday time, as is taking home goody bags. Just remember to keep food safety in mind. Here are some tips for handling leftovers.

• Make an educated guess as to how much food you will need on the table, then refrigerate the leftovers.
• Prepared foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Put leftovers in air-tight containers for travel.
• For an extra-nice touch, purchase insulated bags and ice so that leftovers can stay ice-cold during your guests’ long drive home.
• Remind your guests to put the goodies in the refrigerator as soon as they get home.

About Stop Foodborne Illness: Stop Foodborne Illness is a national nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens by promoting sound food safety policy and best practices, building public awareness, and assisting those impacted by foodborne illness. For more food safety tips please visit www.Stopfoodborneillness.org/awareness/. If you think you have been sickened from food, contact your local health professional. You may subscribe to receive Stop Foodborne Illness e-Alerts and eNews here: www.Stopfoodborneillness.org/take-action/sign-up-for-e-alerts/.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

1. Remove everything from the fridge and put perishables in a cooler with some ice.
2. Look at your condiments and toss them if they’re past the “use by” date.
3. Remove the meat and vegetable drawers. Soak them in a bathtub or sink full of warm sudsy water.
4. While the drawers are soaking, wipe down the inside of the fridge, the door panels, the top of the fridge and the seals. Make a good cleaning solution with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 quart (about 1 liter) of hot water.
5. Rinse everything you wiped down with a wet, clean cloth.
6. Rinse the vegetable and meat drawers with warm water, dry them and put them back into the fridge.

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, you might be thinking of eating a home-cooked meal of corned beef and cabbage, and of course, consuming a few (or more) beers to go along with it. But, in between all the fun, how do you keep these foods safe to eat and avoid being affected and getting “sham-rocked” by foodborne illness this holiday?

Stop Foodborne Illness, a national nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens, wants you to be aware of how preventing foodborne illness while you get in touch with your inner Irish this St. Patrick’s Day.

Keeping corned beef safe to eat: Storing and preparing
The luck of the Irish only goes so far, so knowing how to properly store, prepare, cook, and reheat your corned beef will help you avoid foodborne illness this St. Paddy’s Day. Corned beef comes from the tougher part of the cow, and to tenderize the beef it is placed in a bath of salt water along with spices, most commonly peppercorns and bay leaf. If you buy uncooked corned beef in a salt brine drain the brine before freezing or refrigerating because the excess salt can cause the beef to go rancid. If the brine is not drained, the corned beef can be stored unopened safely 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Keeping corned beef safe to eat: Cooking and leftovers
Corned beef can be prepared in several different ways, and the USDA doesn’t recommend one kind of cooking over the other. The five freshest ways to fix corned beef are: 1) in the oven, 2) in an oven cooking bag, 3) in a slow cooker, 4) on the stove, and 5) in the microwave. Just make sure that you follow the temperature and time instructions for the specific cooking method that you are using. Find the USDA’s instructions for cooking corned beef here:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/corned-beef-and-food-safety/ct_index.

The USDA says that “fork-tender” (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/corned-beef-and-food-safety/ct_index) is a “good indication of doneness”, but to use a food thermometer to make sure the meat is heated to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming. In an article by Stanley Rutledge of Stop Foodborne Illness, he says that just because your food may look done, and the meat may still look pink, this does not indicate it is done. A food thermometer is essential to making sure your food is safe to eat. Take a look at this listfrom Stop Foodborne Illness of safe internal cooking temperatures for reference.

Also, allow the meat to rest for at least 3 minutes before carving and eating. If cooking ahead of time, allow the beef to cool, slice it, and place it in containers to refrigerate within two hours (https://stopfoodborneillness.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/How-Temperatures-Affect-Food-Meat-Thermometers.pdf) of cooking. Leftover corned beef can be consumed safely within 3-4 days of cooking when put in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Reheat any leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit and use a food thermometer to check.

Cocktails and dining out
This St. Patrick’s Day, you might also decide to indulge in a specialty traditional cocktail, like the An Bodhran, or treat yourself to a night out to eat. However, use caution when partaking in specialty drinks because some ingredients could potentially lead to foodborne illness. For example, An Bodhran, made with Irish Whiskey and maple sugar, also contains a raw egg. Stop Foodborne Illness warns against consuming raw eggs (https://stopfoodborneillness.org/fsn-eating-raw-cookie-dough-and-other-risky-mistakes/) because raw eggs could contain salmonella, a harmful bacteria that leads directly to food poisoning and foodborne illness.

Additionally, when treating yourself to a night out, if you have any suspicions about the safety of the food delivered to your table you should not hesitate to raise concerns, Stop Foodborne Illness provides some helpful tips on how to address these kinds of food safety concerns. We want you to have a safe, healthy, and delicious St. Patrick’s Day this year.

Food safety in general
According to the CDC, food can be contaminated when bacteria are transferred from the kitchen tools to the food, when unwashed hands are used to handle food, and when foods are not packaged correctly. Learn more about how food gets contaminated here.

Four simple ways (https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/keep-food-safe.html) to keep food safe, according to the CDC, are to

1) wash surfaces, hands, and fresh produce

2) keep meat, seafood, poultry, and eggs separate in food preparation and food storage

3) cook food thoroughly by using a food thermometer

4) freeze food to keep safe until you can cook it

Your kitchen and cooking equipment should be food safe, too. Stop Foodborne Illness also has tips on how to properly clean, sanitize, and disinfect your kitchen tools and home to minimize the transfer of bacteria from your kitchen area to your food. According to Stop Foodborne Illness, the first step is to clean visible crumbs and mess from your dishes and utensils. The second step is to sanitize them with high heat or chemical solution to kill harmful bacteria, and the third step is to disinfect your kitchen surfaces with a cleaning solution.

About Stop Foodborne Illness: Stop Foodborne Illness is a national nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens by promoting sound food safety policy and best practices, building public awareness, and assisting those impacted by foodborne illness. For more food safety tips please visit www.Stopfoodborneillness.org/awareness/. If you think you have been sickened from food, contact your local health professional.

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Whether you’re headed to a restaurant or preparing a decadent feast at home, make sure your meal is food safe.

“Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate. We appreciate that it’s also a time that many of us dine out or prepare special meals for an intimate evening. We’re here to remind you how to keep your dining safe,” says Deirdre Schlunegger, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness.

• Assess the scene. CDC recommends looking for certificates that show food-safety practices—like recent health inspection score and manager’s completion of food-safety trainings. Note whether the glasses, silverware, napkins and tablecloths are clean. Food Safety News says it is not hard to get an A in the restaurant business; if there isn’t an A on the door, walk away.
• Say no to raw oysters. Raw oysters are a popular Valentine’s day treat however, they can be contaminated with a variety of foodborne pathogens such as E. coli, norovirus and Vibrio vulnificus. If you’re looking for an aphrodisiac fix, order Oysters Rockefeller instead!
• Ask before ordering. Raw or undercooked eggs can be a hidden hazard in foods, such as Caesar salad, custards, and some sauces, unless they are commercially pasteurized.
• Order it cooked thoroughly. Remember that certain foods, including as meat, poultry, and fish, need to be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria that may be present.
• Get that doggie bag in the fridge—fast. Leftovers need to be refrigerated quickly (within two hours of being served or one hour if temperatures are above 90°F) to avoid the spread of dangerous bacteria. If you’re not going straight home, leave the leftovers at the restaurant.

• Keep hot foods hot! After food is cooked, hold it at an internal temperature of 140°F or hotter. Keeping food warm (between 40°F and 140°F) rather than hot encourages growth of germs that cause foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning. Use a food thermometer to make sure your meal stays out of the danger zone.
• Keep cold food cold! Keep Cold foods at 40°F or colder.
• Cook food thoroughly. A food thermometer is a critical tool to ensure your romantic meal is safe for your sweetheart. If poultry is on the menu (including ground poultry), the thickest part must reach an internal temperature of 165°F or higher. Whole cuts of meat and seafood should have an internal temperature of 145°F. For ground meats other than poultry, a safe internal temperature is 160°F. Learn more about safe cooking temperatures.
• Bake safely. Molten chocolate lava cakes, red velvet cheesecake, truffles and chocolate mousse are some of the most iconic Valentine’s Day treats but amateur and seasoned bakers should be extra careful preparing these sweets since they call for chocolate, cream and eggs. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends avoiding no-bake recipes and always baking desserts to an internal temperature of at least 160°F to kill harmful bacteria.
• Follow the two-hour rule. Throw away all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles that have been left at room temperature longer than two hours (or one hour if the temperature outside is warmer than 90°F).
• Refrigerate leftovers. Before cuddling up on the couch, get those leftovers in the refrigerator!  Letting food sit out longer than two hours is one of the most common food safety mistakes.  Stop Foodborne Illness recommends storing leftovers in 2-inch deep, shallow containers within two hours of serving.

Editor’s note: Michael Taylor and Lauren Bush, co-chairs of the STOP Foodborne Illness board, combined efforts to write this column. To read a related letter STOP’s Chief Executive Director Deirdre Schlunegger sent this week to the FDA, please click here.

On Nov. 1, FDA issued its assessment of factors contributing to this year’s deadly outbreak of illness caused by contaminated romaine lettuce produced in the Yuma, Arizona growing region. This was the largest outbreak of E. coli O157: H7 infections in the United States since the spinach outbreak of 2006. Ninety-six people were hospitalized and five died.  

In an accompanying letter to the leafy greens industry and state officials in Arizona and California, the Food and Drug Administration also issued a strong call to action, saying: “Bold action is needed to prevent future outbreaks, especially ones of this magnitude, and to restore consumer confidence in the safety of leafy greens available on the market.”

We emphatically agree. The question is what action and by whom. The key players are FDA, the states, the leafy green industry and food retailers – the businesses that directly link food producers with consumers. They all have roles to play. The cattle feeding industry must also be part of the conversation. Typically, multiple factors contribute to major outbreaks, but just as run-off from cattle grazing was implicated in the 2006 spinach outbreak, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) is implicated in the romaine outbreak due to the CAFO’s close proximity to irrigation canals and growing fields. 

Our organization, Stop Foodborne Illness, has represented individuals and families directly affected by serious foodborne illness for the past 25 years. We’ve been at the table helping drive change. While we can’t make leafy greens safe, we do have three roles to play: (1) ensuring all those responsible for producing food remember the human stakes by hearing the voices of impacted families; (2) pushing for continuous improvement and implementation of best practices in food safety; and (3) supporting those in government and industry who are committed to effective action on food safety.  

And for Lauren, the issue is intensely personal. As a college student, she was seriously injured in the 2006 spinach outbreak caused by the same pathogen implicated in this year’s romaine outbreak. This makes the current outbreak feel all too familiar. Yet, we are as committed as ever to collaborating with industry and government to prevent more consumers from getting sick. 

As we write, the good news is that the need for action in response to the romaine outbreak is widely recognized, and important steps have been taken. FDA and the states investigated. FDA issued its environmental assessment. The Arizona and California leafy green industries recently issued new “metrics” and guidance on steps that Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (LGMA) members should take to address problems highlighted by the romaine outbreak. We understand some retailers are sharpening their purchase specifications to address the potential for water contamination due to the presence in leafy green growing areas of large cattle feeding operations. And the Center for Produce Safety is considering research to address key questions. All of this is positive.

There are other positive signs that the romaine outbreak will be a catalyst for effective action. One of the key issues on which FDA called for action is modernizing traceability systems to enable rapid traceback and more effective recall communications. On Oct. 29, The Pew Charitable Trusts brought together industry leaders, consumer groups, and government representatives to discuss strategy and next steps for harnessing modern information technology to bring traceback practices into the 21^st Century.  

This is a matter of life and death for consumers when outbreaks happen. In an industry that relies too often on paper and handwritten records and on disconnected datasets, consumers cannot wait any longer for producers to take advantage of the abundance of available technology. It’s now a matter of industry will, leadership, and collaborative problem solving, with encouragement and support from FDA. The commitment to action we heard expressed at the Pew meeting makes us optimistic that modernization of traceability can happen.

It is less clear where we are headed on the hazard posed by CAFOs operating in the vicinity of leafy green production. And we are concerned that FDA’s call for action did not include the cattle feeding industry. Through LGMA, many leafy green producers continue working to improve their food safety practices, but cattle feeders are part of the problem and have to be part of the solution, too. 

The McElhaney Feedyard near Yuma, AZ, has a capacity of more than 100,000 head of cattle and sits on a rise of land immediately adjacent to the irrigation canal that FDA found contaminated with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157: H7. FDA was cautious in characterizing the possible role of this CAFO in causing the outbreak but noted that there is no alternative explanation for how the pathogen got into the water. 

However, for anyone with food safety knowledge who observes that CAFO and the conditions surrounding it, there is no reasonable doubt that it presents a significant hazard and was the source of the E. coli that made people sick. And it would be hard for any consumer viewing that CAFO and its proximity to irrigation canals and growing fields to be confident that greens produced there are safe to eat.  

The question is what to do about it. 

We appreciate that FDA and the leafy greens industry take this issue seriously. They agree there needs to be a larger buffer between CAFOs and growing fields, but also that such buffers alone don’t solve the problem. Their actions so far include calling for growers in the vicinity of CAFOs to conduct rigorous assessments of the risk of water contamination posed by the CAFO and take steps to mitigate the risk. FDA specifically calls for industry to develop best practices for assuring that the water they are using meets the “safe and adequate” safety standard in the FSMA produce safety rule.  

This is where more aggressive and collaborative problem solving is needed, and consumers cannot afford to wait.  

The problem is that both FDA and the leafy green industry are leaving it to individual growers to both assess the risks posed by a particular CAFO and figure out the right risk-mitigation best practices to deal with the risk once they have assessed it. We recognize and agree that the wide diversity of production systems and conditions requires a degree of flexibility for growers to assess local risks and devise practices that work to produce safe food. 

But, when it comes to CAFOs located next to leafy greens, flexibility cannot take precedence over ensuring an acceptable standard of care is widely observed. In the case of a hazard as specific and glaring as the one posed by the CAFO in Yuma, and by similar CAFOs in proximity to irrigation canals and growing fields in other locations, leaving it to individual growers is not enough. 

Fortunately, some retailers are already setting conditions under which they will require targeted risk-reduction interventions, such as water treatment and pathogen testing of both water and finished product. This is a positive step, but consumers expect more than that. Given the evident significance of the CAFO hazard and the tragic scale of the romaine outbreak of 2018 – and spinach in 2006 – consumers rightly expect clarity and transparency now about the standard of care all producers will meet, including appropriate pathogen testing and water treatment, to prevent such tragedies from happening again and again. 

Looking ahead, we urge growers, CAFO operators, and federal and state agencies to improve assessments of risk through proactive collaboration. This should start with pooling all possible data, including new environmental testing as needed, to generate a detailed microbial profile of the environment in and around the Yuma CAFO. This is essential to determine possible pathways of contamination and science-based interventions.

This critical issue won’t be solved in the near-term by regulation alone, but it can be solved by stakeholders coming together to improve risk assessment and expeditiously resolve what happens after a risk is identified and assessed. CAFOs must also be at the table, implement effective preventive measures, and be held responsible for the impact of their operations on the environment and other producers. 

Consumers’ lives depend on it.  

About the authors:
Mike Taylor got his start in food safety at the FDA as a staff attorney (1976-80) and served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy (1991-94) before moving to the USDA where he served as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service and Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety (1994-96). Before rejoining the FDA in 2009, Mike spent close to a decade conducting food safety, food security and public health policy research and serving as a Senior Fellow at the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, where he conducted research on U.S. policies affecting agricultural development and food security in Africa.

In his third stint at the FDA as the Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, Mike led the comprehensive overhaul of FDA’s food safety program Congress mandated in the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 and oversaw all of FDA’s food-related activities, including its nutrition, labeling, food additive, dietary supplement, and animal drug programs.

Mike Taylor is currently a senior fellow at the Meridian Institute, focusing on food safety globally and food security in Africa and other developing regions. In the private sector, Mike founded the food and drug practice and was a partner in the law firm of King & Spalding, was Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto Company, and served on the boards of the Alliance to End Hunger and RESOLVE Inc. He is currently a member of the board of Clear Labs Inc.

Lauren Bush brings eight years of experience in politics and has lobbied passionately for increased consumer protections at the state and federal levels. She first joined Stop in 2009 after she contracted hemorrhagic E.coli in the 2006 spinach outbreak. Driven to affect change for all consumers, Lauren was honored by Pew Charitable Trusts for her efforts to advocate for the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Currently, Lauren is the Manager of Government and Community Affairs at the New York Public Library, working on policy and collaborative city partnerships helping millions of New Yorkers gain access to resources. She last served as Chief Operating Officer of a million member PAC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee where she oversaw all operations, human resources, and compliance. As a fellow of Senator Gillibrand, she served on the event planning team for the inaugural Women’s Economic Empowerment Summit.

Lauren received her M.P.A. in public policy analysis from New York University and a B.A. in art history from the University of Kentucky.

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Stop Foodborne Illness,(http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org), a national public health organization whose mission is preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens wants to remind you that no matter where you get your food – by supporting friendly local farmers or by shopping your neighborhood supermarket – food safety is always important.

• Clean hands. Dirty fingernails or a filthy apron aren’t appetizing. For vendors serving food – are they wearing gloves, and is their hair covered?
• A certification notice. Some vendors will display certificates that show they have been trained in food safety. These are good indicators that their foods are handled properly.
• The carton is clean. When buying eggs, look to see if the carton is clean – inside and out, and make sure the eggs are clean and not cracked. Reused egg cartons are fine, if clean.
• Cold foods are cold. Meats, cheeses and other dairy products, and eggs should be kept cold. Salads and cold sandwiches should feel like they’re straight from the fridge.
• Meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe temperature.  The only way to determine a safe temperature for meat, poultry or fish, is by using a cooking thermometer. If you’re not sure, ask.
• Hot foods are hot. The “Danger Zone” for food (where bacteria multiply quickly) is between 40°F and 140°F. Cooked foods like soups and burgers should be piping hot.
• Samples are being safely handled. Vendors using gloves, tongs, tissues, or other utensils are doing it right! (They shouldn’t be using bare hands.) Are knives, serving utensils, dishes, and service surfaces kept clean?  If not, take a pass on these foods.
• Ciders, juices, and dairy products are pasteurized. Since unpasteurized foods are serious sources of foodborne pathogens, shoppers should ask when products, including the samples, are not clearly labeled.

• Be mindful of jars open for sampling —sauces, salsas, jams, pickles and so on —they should not be out for more than two hours at outside temperature. One hour, if it’s over 90°F. Many markets have started offering hand-washing stations with hand sanitizer. We encourage you to use them.
• If you’re purchasing perishables like dairy, eggs, or meat bring a cooler or insulated bag with ice to the market, so your newly purchased products can be kept cold for the ride home in the hot car.
• Make the farmers market your final stop before heading home. Your fresh veggies and fruit, and other perishable foods won’t have to sit long in a hot car and will make it to the refrigerator that much more quickly.

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles leading up to the 20th annual Food Safety Summit. The event, from May 7-10 at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in suburban Chicago, includes certification courses; a trade show with exhibitors from industry, academia and government; an extensive list of seminars and panel discussions; and a Town Hall meeting with top officials from the FDA, USDA and CDC. Visit www.foodsafetysummit.com for more details and to registe

It’s a time of transformation for Stop Foodborne Illness, with new board members, including people very familiar to the industry. Stop has a 25-year history of mobilizing people personally affected by foodborne illness to push for prevention.  The organization is seeking new opportunities and models for collaboration based on broad alignment among government, industry and consumers on the goal of prevention and the importance of comprehensively implementing recognized best practices and building strong food safety cultures.    

Mike Taylor, board co-chair for Stop and former Deputy Commissioner for the FDA, will present on the panel and recount his personal experience meeting with Nancy Donley and Mary Heersink at the beginning of his tenure at FSIS in 1994 and the impact their message had on making food safety a personal issue for him and motivating meat safety reforms. 

Taylor will recount Stop’s more recent experience and impact working with food industry organizations in their training programs and as part of the consumer-industry coalition that enacted FSMA to deliver the powerful message of why food safety is so important to consumers, citing as examples Lauren Bush and Rylee Gustafson, two victims of the 2006 spinach outbreak who have had the courage and commitment to tell their stories in the interest of preventing others from having the same experience.  

Gillian Kelleher, Stop board member and vice president for Food Safety & Quality Assurance for Wegmans Food Markets, will share the experience of her company in working with Stop to help employees understand the impact of Listeria and other pathogens on consumers and their families. 

Lauren Bush, now co-chair of the Stop board says, “Food safety is a journey, with great progress having been made but a long way to go to fully implement best practices across our vast and complex food system.  Many are engaged and leading the way, including individual companies, GFSI, PFSE, consumer groups and government, all of whom need to come together.  Stop sees the opportunity for a new alliance whose goal is to stop foodborne illness through new forms of collaboration to promote best practices and strong food safety cultures.”

Nancy Donley, who lost her son Alex to E. coli O157:H7 in 1993, will share her perspective on how food safety has changed since then. Dan Sutton, a grower and the vice-chair of the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, will share LGMA’s experience working with Stop. 

Craig Wilson of Costco, a new Stop board member, will address how Stop is seeking new mechanisms for collaborating with the food industry on implementation of best practices and strong food safety cultures. And, Steve Hermansky, Chief Food Safety and Quality Officer for Conagra Foods, will explain why his company is supporting Stop and how deep understanding of the “why” of food safety by every employee can help companies strengthen their motivation and performance without the shock of a serious bad event.

This session is set for 2:45 p.m. May 10 during The Food Safety Summit. 

About the author: Gillian Kelleher, vice president for Food Safety & Quality Assurance for Wegmans Food Markets, is one of three new members selected in 2017 to serve on the board of Stop Foodborne Illness. Also joining the board in 2017 were Michael Taylor and Adrian Esparza. Kelleher is also a member of the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board.

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• There’s always the possibility that food has not been held at proper temperatures – cold foods (salads, cold cuts, dressings) should be cold and hot foods (soups, meats, fish) should be hot. Any food that’s served at room temperature, and isn’t supposed to be, is within the temperature “danger zone” where bacteria can thrive.
• If you’ve gotten away to a warmer climate, remember the one-hour rule. Any perishable foods that have been sitting out beyond one hour when the temperature is higher than 90° F, is not safe to consume. (It’s 2 hours, if the temperature is below 90° F.)
• Another source of contamination is when food is mishandled by people with unclean hands. If you see something, say something. Don’t assume anything. And, of course, after a day’s activities, be sure to wash your own hands before eating.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables from the buffet can be a great poolside snack but don’t forget to wash and peel the tasty treat before eating. If you’re in an area with unsafe water, wash the produce with bottled or filtered water.

• Street food is a great way to experience local culture, but often, stalls don’t have the same hygiene standards as restaurants that cater to tourists. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends being aware of this difference and making wise choices when enjoying dishes from local restaurants or street stands.
• Avoid establishments where the food handlers don’t practice good hygiene, such as tying back their hair, wearing protective gloves and having clean hands and fingernails.
• Be selective when choosing foods. Avoid raw milk and raw milk cheeses, and other raw foods—including undercooked meat and seafood, and uncooked vegetables —as well as foods that require a lot of handling before serving.
• Be extra cautions when visiting a remote destination. Turn up the food safety dial a notch; even though you may enjoy certain foods and beverages at home—like rare meat or runny eggs—it’s better to avoid questionable foods while in a different country. (Being sick in a language you don’t know can really complicate matters.)

• Sanitize tray tables, seat armrests and door handles with an 60% alcohol-based wipe. These frequently touched areas are generally made of plastic, a nonporous material that allows germs to live on longer, and have a higher risk of spreading foodborne illness.
• Keep food out of the danger zone . Make sure cold food stays cold—at or below 40°F—by packing it in coolers with frozen gel packs or ice. Stop Foodborne Illness suggests packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another since you are likely to grab beverages most often while on the road. Since hot food needs to stay hot—at or above 140°F, Stop Foodborne Illness suggests passing on hot foods and opting instead for peanuts, and other nuts (including nut butters), jelly, crackers, chips, dried fruit, baked goods such as cookies or muffins, granola bars, popcorn, and whole fresh fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges.
• Rinse all fresh produce under running tap water (and patting it dry) before packing it in a cooler, including produce with peel-away skins or rinds. Follow this checklist to make sure coolers are packed properly.

Stop Foodborne Illness wants you to be aware of how preventing foodborne illness this Valentine’s Day is one of the most romantic gestures you can make. Whether you’re headed to a restaurant or preparing a decadent feast at home, make sure your meal is pathogen free.

“Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate. We appreciate that it’s also a time that many of us dine out or prepare special meals for an intimate evening. We’re here to remind you how to keep your dining safe,” says Deirdre Schlunegger, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness.

For those treating their sweetheart to a romantic night out, follow these food safety steps to keep your date safe:

• Assess the scene. CDC recommends looking for certificates that show food-safety practices—like recent health inspection score and manager’s completion of food-safety trainings. Note whether the glasses, silverware, napkins and tablecloths are clean. In areas where restaurant inspection grades are required to be posted in public view, follow this rhyme: If there isn’t an A, walk away.
• Say no to raw oysters. Raw oysters are a popular Valentine’s Day treat however, they can be contaminated with a variety of foodborne pathogens such as E. coli, norovirus and Vibrio vulnificus. If you’re looking for an aphrodisiac fix, order Oysters Rockefeller instead.
• Get that doggie bag in the fridge — fast. Leftovers need to be refrigerated within two hours of being served, or one hour if air temperatures are above 90 degrees F. If you’re not going straight home, leave the leftovers at the restaurant.

Cooking your other half’s favorite meal? Make sure you’re practicing food safety before, during and after for a sweet and safe dinner.

• Wash the produce. Making a fancy multi-course meal? Don’t cut corners and serve unwashed produce, even prewashed produce. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends thoroughly washing all fresh veggies and fruits to minimize potential bacterial contamination.

• Be cautious of food temperatures. Food left in the danger zone — above 40 degrees and below 140 degrees – facilitates bacterial growth. To avoid the spread of foodborne illness, keep hot foods hot at internal temperatures of 140 degrees F or above, and cold foods cold at 40 degrees F or below.

• Cook food thoroughly. A food thermometer is a critical tool to ensure your romantic meal is safe for your sweetheart. If poultry is on the menu, including ground poultry, the thickest part must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F or higher. Whole cuts of meat and seafood should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. For ground meats other than poultry, a safe internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Learn more about safe cooking temperatures.

• Bake safely. Molten chocolate lava cakes, red velvet cheesecake, truffles and chocolate mousse are some of the most iconic Valentine’s Day treats but amateur and seasoned bakers should be extra careful preparing these sweets since they call for chocolate, cream and eggs. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends avoiding no-bake recipes and always baking desserts to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F to kill harmful bacteria.
• Refrigerate leftovers. Before cuddling up on the couch, get those leftovers in the refrigerator!  Letting food sit out longer than two hours is one of the most common food safety mistakes. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends storing leftovers in 2-inch deep, shallow containers within two hours of serving.

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• Have a plan. Cooking such an important meal for a large gathering of friends and family can be stressful and lead to subpar approaches to handling food. Think about your refrigerator, freezer and oven space, and how to best keep hot foods hot, 140 degrees or higher, and cold foods cold, 40 degrees or below. If you need to use coolers, make sure you have plenty of clean ice. Whatever you do, don’t rely on the natural outdoor temperature on the porch to keep foods at proper temperature.
• Wash your hands. When preparing food, STOP Foodborne Illness emphasizes the importance of washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water and keeping work surfaces clean.
• Wash produce. STOP Foodborne Illness recommends washing even prepackaged greens, to minimize potential bacterial contamination
• Keep cooking surfaces neat. While Kosher rules require the separation of meat and dairy during preparation, serving, and eating, it is also important to separate meat preparation from other foods for health safety reasons. Cross-contaminating raw meat with food that does not get cooked could lead to the spread of foodborne illness. Make sure kitchen counters, cutting boards, and knives are all well-scrubbed with soap and water.
• Defrost safely. Properly defrost your turkey by allocating 24 hours for every 5 pounds to defrost in the refrigerator. If you need to defrost quicker, place the bird in cold water and change the cold water bath every 30 minutes.
• Cook to proper temperature. Use a thermometer to ensure food has been cooked enough to kill bacteria. Find out more with this safe food temperature guide.
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of preparation. It’s easy to leave food out while you linger at the table and enjoy your guests’ company, but letting food sit out too long is one of the biggest holiday food safety problems. Leaving food out for more than two hours puts it in the danger zone — above 40 degrees and below 140 degrees — which facilitates bacterial growth. To avoid this, STOP recommends storing leftovers in 2-inch deep, shallow containers, and making sure the refrigerator is not over-packed and that there is plenty of air circulating around the food so it can be properly cooled.
• Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees. When it’s time to eat leftovers, remember to use your thermometer. Zapping the plate of food in the microwave for a few minutes is not sufficiently safe because microwaves heat in an uneven manner.
• Keep guests — and their sticky fingers — out of the kitchen. Holidays occur during cold and flu season, meaning germs and bacteria are more prevalent. It’s important that no one is picking at food while it’s being prepared. Serve appetizers to give guests something to nibble on until the meal is ready.

Food safety tips for holiday guests For those who will be guests at the holiday table, it is crucial you do your part in preventing foodborne illness, too. STOP Foodborne Illness urges you to do a couple of things:

• Wash your hands with soap and water. Even if you don’t prepare food you should still wash your hands before you eat.
• Pack hot foods while hot. Don’t wait for hot foods to cool down before packing. If you’re preparing a hot dish at home and taking it to the party — pack it right away. Put piping hot foods immediately into an insulated thermos or container. You can also preheat your thermos by filling it with boiling water, letting it sit for a few minutes, pouring out the water, and then adding your hot food.

Part of celebrating the High Holidays means eating food with religious symbolism and STOP Foodborne Illness urges you to keep food safety in mind when serving traditional foods during Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. For example:

• Eggs — Highlighted in challah bread and in beitzah, eggs make numerous appearances on the holiday menu. To prevent the spread of foodborne illness, STOP recommends thoroughly cooking eggs as well as only serving pasteurized eggs.
• New fruit — On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, a “new fruit,” meaning a fruit that has recently come into season but that we have not yet had the opportunity to eat, is served. Make sure fruits are properly rinsed before eating.
• Fish — Traditionally eaten during the Rosh Hashanah holiday meal, fish symbolizes fertility and abundance for the new year but it also poses severe health risks.
• Grape juice — While those of age drink wine, grape juice is served to children, but make sure to only serve pasteurized juice as pasteurization destroys any harmful bacteria.

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