We know that the coronavirus is a respiratory illness, not a foodborne illness.  We also know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two primary strategies to help control COVID-19: physical distancing and hand washing.  So why are we seeing people wearing face masks? The CDC advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of […]

Several very large beef, pork, and poultry slaughter plants have shut down over recent weeks due, at least in part, to COVID-19.  This has led to a disruption in the supply chain.  Is meat and poultry that we find in the grocery store still safe to prepare and eat?  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, […]

When used correctly, chemical sanitizers and disinfectants can be important in helping to fight disease.  Chemicals must pass certain tests to be classified as either a sanitizer or a disinfectant, or both!  Sanitizers reduce the number of bacteria by 99.99% in one test.  Disinfectants are shown to be effective against 99.99% of bacteria in multiple tests.  Disinfectants that work […]

With so many meals prepared at home these days and grocery shopping a bit more complicated as we practice physical distancing, it’s important to make sure that leftovers are handled safely so that they don’t go to waste or, even worse, make us sick. Cook food safely.  The first step in having safe leftovers is cooking […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocates hand washing with plain soap and water as the best way to prevent the spread of infections and decrease the risk of getting sick.  Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is essential, especially after going to the bathroom, after handling any food or […]

With so many meals consumed at home these days, there are bound to be mishaps, such as a spilled glass of milk or a sandwich dropped on the floor.  So it’s a good time to revisit the age-old 5-second rule.  This isn’t the in-bounding rule in basketball, but a food hygiene standard in some households that states that […]

Now, perhaps more than ever, we want to protect ourselves and our families from a foodborne illness.  While there is no evidence that the coronavirus is a foodborne disease, there can be harmful bacteria in food and protecting against an illness such as salmonellosis is always important.  One of the best defenses against a foodborne illness is […]

The last several posts have focused on clarifying safe produce handling recommendations for consumers and the start of the growing season.  When planning our grocery store or farm market trips, does organically grown produce present any food-safety advantages? The International Food Information Council offers some helpful tips in response to recent media attention contrasting the health benefits of organic and […]

We’ve all heard a lot recently about hand washing as an important step in illness prevention.  Effective hand washing starts with soap and clean, running water.  Either bar soap or liquid soap will work.  Wet hands with clean water and apply soap.  When we place unclean hands in water, nothing really happens.  Add soap and scubbing […]