Follow the four food safety steps
Clean, separate, cook and chill to keep germs off your plate.
- How often
- As needed
- Recommended for
- 1 factor
How to do it
- Clean. Wash hands for 20 seconds before cooking and after touching raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.
- Separate. Use different cutting boards and plates for raw meat and ready-to-eat food.
- Cook. Use a food thermometer, for example 165°F for poultry and 160°F for ground meat.
- Chill. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90°F outside), and keep your fridge at 40°F or below.
Why it helps
Food poisoning usually comes from bacteria spread by hands, boards and knives, or from food that is undercooked or left out too long. These four habits block each of those routes.
Be careful
Get medical care for bloody diarrhea, a high fever, signs of dehydration, or vomiting that keeps you from holding down liquids.