Eat cleaner and safer in the new year
Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian and author of “The Slim Down South Cookbook.” Email her at carolyn@carolynoneil.com
The new year ushers in resolutions to make a clean start. Reviewing the past year’s food news, I’m struck by the headlines involving food safety. Talk about a need to keep it clean! While many folks think the prime suspect is always the mayo-based salad left out in the summer sun, the facts on food-borne illness outbreaks in the United States might surprise you. Top offenders include raw bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and caramel apples. (Mayonnaise is pretty high in acid so can actually help retard bacterial growth.)
The website, Food Safety News, compiled a list of 2014’s most harmful outbreaks. Food-borne illness is a serious thing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates more than 76 million cases of illness including about 5,000 deaths per year are associated with contaminated food in the U.S.
Bad apples
Undercooked poultry, holding cooked foods at room temperature too long and cross contamination of raw meats with ready to eat foods such as salads continue to be key culinary culprits. But the top five offenders listed by Food Safety News include these foods and pathogens.
- Mexican-grown cilantro contaminated with Cyclospora
- Raw milk contaminated with Camplyobacter
- Bean sprouts contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and/or Salmonella
- Mexican-style queso fresco cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
- Caramel apples contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
Caution: If you bought or received caramel apples over the holidays, the CDC recommends against eating any commercially produced caramel apples until more specific guidance can be provided.
Clean food rules
While it’s important to know foods we buy might be contaminated, it’s good to know food processors and government food safety officials are busy identifying potential problems and enacting recalls when necessary.
Here’s what you can do to be safe at the plate.
- Use a food thermometer. It's the best way to ensure meats are properly cooked. Cook ground meat to at least 160 degrees F, poultry to 165 degrees F and reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F.
- Wash your hands with soap before and after food preparation. Also, wash hands before eating at a restaurant, especially hand-held foods.
- Wash fresh fruits and vegetables including the rinds even if you don't eat them. Also, the "organic" label on produce does not mean germ free.
- Toss leftovers, including restaurant "doggie bags," if more then two days old. Some pathogens multiply even in refrigerated temperatures.
