Your Dietitian: How to protect yourself from food poisoning

Food poisoning affects an estimated 48 million Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most at risk for a severe reaction to food poisoning are people over age 65 or under 5; people with a weakened immune system due to a medical condition or being on a medication that weakens the immune system; and pregnant women. Symptoms If you've ever had food poisoning, you know that it's something to take seriously. Horrible stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are the symptoms — sometimes so bad you feel like you're going to die. And, unfortunately, some people do die from it. Experts recommend contacting a health care provider for severe symptoms: diarrhea accompanied by a fever higher than 102 degrees; diarrhea for more than three days; bloody diarrhea; or vomiting so much that you can't keep liquids down — which can lead to dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include a dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy upon standing and not urinating much. Summer increases risk Summer is the time of year when the risk of food poisoning increases. High temperatures along with barbecues, picnics and family gatherings are the perfect conditions for food poisoning. Here are the top 10 causes for food poisoning and what you can do to avoid it. 1. Thawing or marinating foods at room temperature According to the CDC, food should be thawed in only three ways: in the refrigerator, in water or in the microwave — with the safest way being in the refrigerator. Never thaw meat/poultry or fish on the counter. Harmful bacteria can rapidly multiply at room temperature — even if meat is still in its wrapper. Marinate foods in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Perishable foods need to be kept at 41 degrees or colder to prevent bacterial growth. After marinating raw meats, discard the marinade. It contains deadly bacteria from the raw meat. Never use it to baste grilling meat. If you want to baste grilling meat with marinade sauce, try this. Reserve some of the marinade in a separate bowl to use for basting before adding the raw meat to the marinade. 2. Not washing your hands Do you wash your hands after handling raw meat, fish or poultry — including after you put it on the grill or in a pan? Simply wiping your hands in a paper towel doesn't kill the bacteria on your hands from raw meat. Always wash your hands after touching any raw meat, poultry or fish or cracking a raw egg — before touching any other surface. Be sure to wash hands at least 20 seconds with warm, soapy water. At picnic areas without running water, get anti-bacterial wipes out and ready to use before touching the meat. 3. Washing meat, chicken or turkey Rinsing off raw turkey, chicken or other meats doesn't kill bacteria. In fact, it increases the risk of food poisoning. Washing raw poultry or meats spreads their bacteria onto the sink, splashes it onto countertops/other surfaces and onto the faucet. When you later touch these surfaces, the bacteria can transfer to foods such as fruits, raw veggies or salad greens and make you sick. 4. Not checking doneness of meat with thermometer Always use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of all meats and fish. (See chart for the proper temperature for killing the harmful bacteria in meats, poultry and fish.) Food can be charred (or cooked) on the outside and not cooked thoroughly inside. The inside portion of the meat or fish may not be cooked enough to kill all the bacteria to prevent food poisoning. Undercooked ground turkey and ground beef patties have been the cause of many food poisonings. 5. Cutting or peeling fruits and veggies before washing them Many people mistakenly believe that if a fruit or vegetable is organic, it's safer to eat. Not true. All fresh produce, organic or not, contains bacteria from the soil, from manure used as fertilizer or manure in the water in the fields or from unwashed hands of pickers and food handlers. Cantaloupe are particularly susceptible to having bacteria embedded on their mesh-like rind that contains deep grooves. However, any fruit or vegetable that grows on the ground can harbor bacteria on its peel. When you cut into a fruit or vegetable, the bacteria on the outside is transferred into the inside pulp by the knife. To prevent this, scrub produce with a vegetable brush under running water before cutting it. According to Luke LaBorde, associate professor at Penn State University's Department of Food Science, foods that should be scrubbed include: all melons, winter squashes, cucumbers, potatoes and citrus fruits. He adds that waxy-skinned cucumbers or citrus may have pathogens sticking to the exterior. Do not fill your sink with water and let your produce sit in it. This will not remove the bacteria effectively. Always use a vegetable brush. Your hands cannot rub all the dirt off — especially between any grooves. Washing vegetables or fruit with soap or detergent is not recommended. 6. Placing cooked meats back on the same plate that held raw meat Always place cooked meats on a clean plate after cooking them. Placing cooked meat back onto the plate that held raw meat transfers the bacteria in the raw meat onto the cooked meat. 7. Leaving food out too long before refrigerating it According to the CDC, all perishable foods should be refrigerated within two hours. When the temperature reaches 90 degrees or hotter, as in a car trunk, perishable food should be refrigerated within one hour. Therefore, in the summer, it's a good idea to keep a cooler or insulated bag in your trunk for keeping meat cool. At home barbecues or at picnics, keep raw meats and all perishable foods in the refrigerator or in a cooler with ice until they are ready to be cooked or eaten. This includes cut fruits and salads, according to the CDC. Contrary to popular belief, it's not the mayo that causes food poisoning in potato salad or chicken salad. Mayonnaise contains vinegar. As an acid it helps to inhibit bacterial growth. The usual culprit is not sufficiently chilling the cooked potatoes or chicken — to 41 degrees or colder — before adding it to the salad. Harmful bacteria can grow in foods above 41 degrees. 8. Not refrigerating leftover cooked foods immediately The idea that leftover foods need to cool to room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator (or in a cooler at a picnic) is a myth. According to the CDC, leftovers need to be refrigerated (or placed in a cooler with ice at picnics) within two hours (or less) to prevent food poisoning. When the temperature is 90 degrees or above, leftovers should be refrigerated within one hour. Bacteria can grow rapidly in leftovers even in the refrigerator if they are stored in deep containers. For the center of leftover food to reach 41 degrees within two hours, store leftovers in containers 2 inches deep or shallower. If necessary, divide leftovers into several shallow containers. Temperatures above 41 degrees and below 135 degrees are the ideal temperatures at which bacteria rapidly multiply. 9. Tasting or smelling food to see if it is still good Bacteria that cause food poisoning cannot be tasted or smelled. Refer to the accompanying chart for how long various foods are safe to eat. Deli meat is the food least likely to be thrown out. Yet it is the food that commonly causes food poisoning. 10. Tasting raw batter or dough, or eating foods with raw egg or uncooked flour Resist the urge to eat raw cookie dough or lick the beaters when making a cake. Eggs and even raw flour contain bacteria that can cause deadly food poisoning. Avoiding these common mistakes when handling food can save you from being one of the millions of Americans who come down with food poisoning every year. So, stay safe and enjoy your barbecues! Phyllis J. Molnar is a registered and licensed dietitian who writes about food and health for The Chronicle-Telegram and The Gazette. Email her at pjmolnar56@gmail.com. USDA recommended internal temperatures of cooked foods 160 degrees for ground beef (insert thermometer into thickest center of burger) 165 degrees for ground turkey, chicken and turkey pieces and leftovers 145 degrees for fish 145 degrees for roast beef, pork or lamb (roasts, steaks and chops). Allow meat to rest for at least 3 minutes before eating. Food storage guide for refrigerated foods Raw eggs, in the shell: 3 to 5 weeks Raw egg yolks or whites (out of the shell): 2 to 4 days Hard cooked eggs (in the shell): 1 week Yogurt: 1 to 2 weeks (5-7 days past the sell by date) Milk: 1 week (up to 1 week past the sell by date) Hard cheeses, unopened: 6 months Hard cheeses, opened: 3 to 4 weeks tightly wrapped Soft cheeses: 1 week Cream cheese: 2 weeks Fresh fish: 1 to 2 days Fresh poultry; ground or cut-up meats: 2 days Fresh roasts and steaks: 3 to 4 days Cooked meats, poultry and fish: 3 to 4 days Sealed packages of luncheon meat: 2 weeks Opened packages of luncheon meat or deli meat: 3 to 5 days; 2 months in freezer Whole wheat flour: 6 to 8 months in refrigerator; 1 year in freezer (Do not store in pantry.) Shelled nuts: 6 months in refrigerator; over 1 year in freezer SOURCES: USDA and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension