It seems like every other day there is a new listeria outbreak in our food. Staying up to date with recalls is critical for staying safe. According to the FDA, if you are pregnant or a senior, your risk for listeria is 10 times greater. Listeria can cause hospitalization and death. The recent Boar’s Head deli meat outbreak claimed 10 lives alone. Here are things you can do to keep yourself safe from food-borne illnesses like listeria.
1. Use a Thermometer When Cooking Meat
If you’re cooking at home, a meat thermometer can help you properly cook meats to temperature. Beef, pork, veal, lamb, steaks, and roasts should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to let the meat rest for at least 3 minutes. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Seafood should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Even vegetables need to be cooked thoroughly. Even undercooked varieties of mushrooms can pose a risk.
2. Avoid High-Risk Foods
Especially if you are in a risk group, there are certain foods you should avoid. Any raw foods like sprouts, unpasteurized or soft cheeses and milk, hot dogs, lunch meats, and meat pates should be avoided. Prepared meals, salads, and soups can also have the listeria bacteria. The same is true for pre-cut fruits and vegetables. Although it seems like every food has been affected recently, these are foods to stay away from as a rule. You can check your local news or the CDC for the most recent listeria outbreaks.
3. Use Foods Quickly
Using food quickly after buying it and washing it properly is essential to lowering your listeria risk. According to the FDA, you should use ready-to-eat, refrigerated foods by the Use By date on the package. The longer they’re stored in the refrigerator, the more chance listeria has to grow.
4. Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Food safety is important to keeping you healthy. You should make sure that your refrigerator and countertops are cleaned well. Spills should be wiped up immediately. Also, make sure that you aren’t using utensils that touch raw meats to touch cooked meats.
5. Eat at Reputable Restaurants
Make sure that you are eating at restaurants that you trust. You can check health inspection reports to make sure that the restaurant has passed inspections. You can also do a visual check of the restaurant. A good indicator of cleanliness is the bathrooms at the establishment.
6. Know When to Call Your Doctor
If you suspect that you have food poisoning, it’s important to know if you may be infected with listeria. Listeria can cause flu-like symptoms, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea, among other symptoms. If you have a fever, call your doctor immediately. Also, if you can’t keep down fluids or are sick for more than 3 days you should seek medical advice.
Staying Safe
While food-borne pathogens can’t always be avoided, you can reduce your risk. Proper food safety, knowing what foods to avoid, and knowing the signs and symptoms of listeria can help keep you safe. If you do get food poisoning, you can report it to your local health department. This could help identify an outbreak.