Posted by Janet Harriett on Mar.04, 2010

©iStockphoto.com - gbrundin

A new analysis by the Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University pegs the cost of foodborne illnesses at $152 billion (with a B) a year. To put that in perspective, the study calculates that the financial impact of bad food in a year is more than the combined proposed 2010 budgets for the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services ($78.7 billion), Agriculture ($26 billion) and Homeland Security ($42.7 billion). The estimate includes direct expenses of medical care and payments from health insurers as well as the indirect costs ranging from missed work to premature death.

While we may not have much control over what germs and viruses are on our food when we get it, some simple food safety tips can keep your family from being a foodborne illness statistic.

Source Foods from Trusted Growers

Whenever possible, get your food from growers you trust. Smaller-scale agriculture is less likely to combine meat or produce from multiple animals or farms, giving you fewer potential sources of foodborne contamination.

If You Eat Meat, Cook it Thoroughly

Heat destroys many foodborne pathogens. Cooking meat, poultry and eggs until they’re well done - cooked hard for eggs - can prevent foodborne illness even if the food was initially contaminated.

Wash Your Produce

About a quarter of the foodborne illness outbreaks were traced back to produce, which often doesn’t get cooked before consuming. The spinach, tomato and bagged salad scares are beginning to be a feature of summer as expected as swim lessons. Other studies have shown that even prewashed bagged vegetables were susceptible to contamination with organisms that cause foodborne illness. The best bet is to wash all of your produce thoroughly. Use multiple changes of water with leafy greens, and scrub vegetables as hard as their peels can take. Even if you don’t eat the rinds or peels, wash the produce, since the act of peeling and slicing may transfer pathogens to the edible part of the fruit. Cantaloupe can harbor pathogens in the rind webbing nooks, which spread to the flesh as a knife plunges through. If an orange has something on the peel, the germ can be all over your hands by the time you start breaking the sections apart.

Use Safe, Tested Canning Methods for Home Preserving

The 1/4 of cases of foodborne illness attributed to produce included both fresh and canned produce. Improper home canning procedures, including using open kettle methods, water-bath canning low-acid vegetables and failing to proess jars long enough at high enough temperatures to kill pathogens, opens your family up to foodborne illness. Every year, a report or two of botulism from improperly home-canned green beans surfaces, and botulism is one of the most expensive foodborne illnesses, working out almost a quarter million dollars per case in hospital and medical costs, and the projected costs of premature deaths from botulism, according to the Georgetown report.

Home canning your farmers market or homegrown produce is a great way to save money and provide your family with nutritious, additive-free fruits and vegetables year-round, but be sure to use safe canning methods. County extension offices offer publications with the latest tested recipes, and Ball Blue Book has recipes tested safe, too. Even if generations never got sick off the uncooked open-kettle jam or water-bath canned carrots, they’re not worth the risk when safe, tested methods are available. Even if you use safe canning methods, inspect jars for signs of spoilage before using.

Avoid Cross-Contamination

Foodborne illness may strike when a pathogen that is killed in cooking is reintroduced after cooking or spread to an uncooked portion of the meal. Separate raw foods from cooked, using separate plates for transferring raw meat to a pan or grill. Immediately place utensils and cutting boards used for raw meats in the sink or dishwasher, and get another clean plate for serving. Never cut raw veggies on a cutting board used for meats without sanitizing the board first. Wipe up spills of raw meat juices immediately.

Wash Your Hands Frequently During Food Prep

As you cook, get in the habit of washing your hands after you touch uncooked meat or poultry.

Store Leftovers Properly

Foodborne pathogens multiply prolifically in the 40-140 degree temperature range, right between the temperature of your fridge and oven. To keep foodborne bacteria counts low, refrigerate food promptly, using shallow containers so foods cool quickly to the center. Once food is cool, you can transfer to more space-saving containers. Never leave leftovers out on the table or stove after the meal. Don’t thaw foods on the countertop, either.

Share

Posted under Health & Fitness, Health Facts.