Keep Salmonella out of Your Kitchen!

Author: Shannon Miller

Foodborne disease can sometimes creep into our kitchens, where it is not wanted.

Salmonella (salmonellosis), for example, is a very common foodborne disease.  Most cases are reported in North American and Europe.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives 40,000 reports of salmonella in the U.S. on an annual basis.

The good news is there are some easy ways to prevent having to deal with this salmonella business…

• Don’t drink unpasteurized milk.
• Don’t eat foods containing raw eggs, such as homemade Caesar salad dressing, cookie dough (I know – this one is hard!), hollandaise sauce, or drink homemade eggnog made with raw eggs.
• Handle raw eggs with caution: Keep them refrigerated and throw away cracked or dirty eggs.
• Cook eggs thoroughly.
• Cook poultry products to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F for breast meat and 180 degrees F for thigh meat.
• Wash food preparation surfaces and utensils (that have come in contact with raw poultry and eggs) thoroughly with soap.
• Wash hands right after handling raw poultry and eggs.
• Wash hands right after handling reptiles or having contact with pet feces.

TIP:  Keep your family free of having to deal with salmonella by following these simple tips!

Source: “Salmonellosis.”  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.