About

• Food poisoning/food borne illness occurs when food contaminated by bacteria, parasite or virus is eaten.
• Children under 5 years old, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with weak immune systems are more likely to get sick and experience a more severe illness.

Symptoms

• It could take up to hours or days before you start to develop symptoms
• The most common symptoms include:
  • Nausea
  • Abdominal pain and cramps
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Weakness
  • Dehydration

Common foods linked to food poisoning/food borne illness

• Raw poultry and meat
• Fruits and vegetables
• Raw milk, cheese, and other dairy products
• Raw eggs
• Raw shellfish
• Sprouts

Tips to prevent food poisoning/food borne illness

• Check the expiration dates on all foods
• Do not sue canned goods with bulges, leaks or dents
• Wash your hands and cooking surfaces often
• Wash all utensils and cutting boards after they come in contact with raw meat or poultry before they touch other food.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove all visible dirt, and discard the outermost leaves of lettuce and cabbage.
• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Use one plate for raw meat and another plate for cooked meat
• Cook meat, poultry, and seafood thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to ensure food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods within 2 hours after buying or preparing.
• Thaw frozen foods safely:
  • In the refrigerator: don’t allow the juices to drip on other foods, cook within 1 – 2 days
  • In cold water: place food in a sealed plastic bag and immerse in cold water; change the water every 30 minutes. Or run cold water on the sealed package of food. Cook immediately.
  • In the microwave: use the “defrost” setting to avoid cooking the edges of the food. Cook immediately.
• Make sure food is kept at the proper temperatures after it has been prepared
  • If hot food must be left out for longer than 2 hours, use warming trays, slow cookers, or chafing dishes to keep the food hot
  • If cold food must be left out for longer than 2 hours, use a cooler or ice bucket

More Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Food Safety
• FDA – Food
• Georgia Department of Public Health – Food Service
• Foodsafety.gov
• Partnership for Food Safety Education