Home

Bacteria

Is Food In My Kitchen a Safety Hazard? (FN492) Follow these food handling guidelines to prevent foodborne illness.

Fight BAC! Fight Foodborne Bacteria (FN582) Be a BAC Fighter and Fight BAC! Clean, separate, cook and chill.

FIGHT BAC! Safe Handling of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (FN608) Handling fruits and vegetables safely is easy. Although an invisible enemy may be in your kitchen, by practicing the recommendations here you can Fight BAC!

Food Handling and Storage

Food Storage Guide - How Long Can I Store .....? (FN579) This publication provides handling tips and recommendations for storing food in your cupboards, refrigerator or freezer.

Keep Food Safe During Grilling Season (FN658) Keep your grill season safe with the guidelines outlined in this publication.

Keep Food Safe when Camping and Hiking (FN659) Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. Follow these tips to keep food safe while you're enjoying the great outdoors.

Keep Food Safe During Summer Picnics (FN661) Although mosquitoes and flies can be annoying pests at picnics, the "bugs" you can't see, such as harmful bacteria, are a bigger problem. Use these tips to beat bacteria at your summer picnic.

Keep Food Safe from Store to Storage: Shopping Food Safety Facts (FN717) Plan your trip around the grocery store, and make it the last stop before going home. Use a shopping list. Shop for nonperishable foods first, followed by frozen and refrigerated items such as meats, fish, eggs, dairy products and deli meats.

Keep Hot Foods Hot and Cold Foods Cold: A Consumer Guide to Thermometers and Safe Temperatures (FN1348) Cooks should not depend on their instincts, cooking time, oven temperature or product appearance to determine when a product is done. Use this guide for thermometers and safe temperatures.

Quick Facts: Becoming the Grill Master (FN1412) When done right, grilling can be one of the more healthful ways to prepare food. Preparing meats and poultry on the grill allows excess fat to drip away. Very little fat needs to be added to foods cooked on the grill.

Brown Baggin’ It: A Guide to Lunches on the Go (FN1416) Follow the tips here to pack a safe and nutritious lunch.

Wash your hands! Waschen sie sich die hande! Vask hendene dine! iLavarse las manos! (FN1444) No matter the language, hand washing is an important step in the fight against germs. Follow these guidelines for proper hand-washing practices.

Safe Food - Babies and Children

Safe Food for Babies: Handling Breast Milk, Formula and Baby Food (FN656) Infants and young children are most at risk for foodborne illness because their immune systems are not fully developed. Follow the tips in this publication to keep breast milk, formula and baby food safe for babies.

Safe and Healthy Eating During Pregnancy (FN657) During pregnancy, women are more vulnerable to food-borne illness because of hormone changes that lower immunity. Fortunately, most cases of food-borne illness can be prevented by following the guidelines provided in this publication.

Safe Food for Babies and Children: A Guide for Babysitters - Babysitter Edition - (FN662) Babysitting is a great way to earn money, help neighbors and gain job experience. It’s a big responsibility, too. When parents trust you to babysit, they are placing their children’s health and safety in your hands.

Safe Food for Babies and Children: A Guide for Babysitters - PARENT Edition - (FN663) As a parent, you most likely will need a babysitter to look after your children at some time. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to foodborne illness, and even a small error in food preparation can cause severe illness. Making sure your babysitter is prepared to provide care safely will assure a positive experience for both you and your sitter.

Safe Food for Babies and Children: Choking Dangers (FN664) Every child is at risk of choking: Older infants and children less than 5 years old easily can choke on food, toys and household objects. A single choking incident may result in death, permanent brain damage due to lack of oxygen and other complications associated with airway blockage. This publication provides tips on choking prevention.

Safe Food - Older Adults

Older Adults and Food Safety: Why are Seniors at Risk for Foodborne Illness? (FN698) As we age, the ability of our immune system to function at normal levels decreases. The immune system is one of the most important mechanisms for fighting disease and preserving health, so a decrease in the level of disease-fighting cells is a significant factor in the number of infections that may occur.

Seniors and Food Safety: What’s a Senior to Eat? (FN699) Smart food choices can help reduce the risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. These are the leading cause of death and disability among Americans.

Seniors and Food Safety: To Market, To Market (FN700) Prevention of foodborne illness starts with your trip to the supermarket. Cooking food to the proper temperature kills harmful bacteria. 

Seniors and Food Safety: What’s Cooking? (FN701) Prevent foodborne illness with these four simple steps to prepare food safely at home.

Seniors and Food Safety: When Someone Else is the Cook (FN702) Let’s face it. Sometimes letting someone else do the cooking is just easier and more enjoyable. And today’s seniors have many eating options. However, all of these options do have food safety implications.

Older Adults and Food Safety: When Grandparents Take Care of Grandchildren (FN703) Many of the feeding practices you used with your own children may no longer be advocated for today’s infants and toddlers. Let’s take a look at the food safety implications of feeding a special new person in your life.