Ten simple rules to keep food poisoning at bay

The risk of picking up foodborne bugs at home can be reduced by following these ten food safety recommendations.

Common sources of infection are foods that have been incorrectly stored or not cooked properly, or which have been cross-contaminated by other foods.

Hands should be washed with soap and water before and during food preparation. If that's not possible, use an antibacterial wipe, gel or solution. This should be repeated after touching raw foods (meat and vegetables) and after contact with any other possible source of contamination (going to the bathroom, changing baby, petting an animal, changing kitty litter, handling soil or objects dirtied with soil, etc.).

Every year, around one in six Americans gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases, commonly known as food poisoning, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The risk of picking up foodborne bugs at home can be reduced by following these ten food safety recommendations.

Common sources of infection are foods that have been incorrectly stored or not cooked properly, or which have been cross-contaminated by other foods.

When gastroenteritis strikes, avoid preparing meals for yourself or for friends and family. Find someone to take over if possible, or be very vigilant about hand washing. Opt for foods that don't require much preparation.

Don't keep any cooked foods or dishes at room temperature for more than two hours before putting them in the fridge.

If foods spill inside the fridge, clean them up immediately with a suitable detergent. Fridges should be cleaned fully as often as necessary and at least once a year.

The coldest part of a fridge should be kept at a temperature between 0 and 4°C. Check the door seals to ensure they're still airtight.

Keep one chopping board for raw meat and fish, and another for cooked foods and clean vegetables. Once foods are cooked, don't reuse the same dishes or utensils to carry or handle raw ingredients.

Recommendations suggest that pre-prepared deli products, ready-to-eat dishes, cream-based cakes or highly perishable foods that aren't pre-wrapped and which don't have a use-by date should be kept for no more than three days. Retailers should be able to provide more specific guidelines.

Cook ground meat thoroughly

Protect young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems from harmful bugs and bacteria by cooking ground meat products thoroughly. A ground meat patty served rare could still harbor harmful bacteria.

Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are strongly advised to avoid raw meat and fish (carpaccio, ceviche, sushi, etc.) and unpasteurized dairy products. Freezing fish for seven days is an effective way of killing parasites (such as Anisakis). With fresh produce, check the label before freezing to avoid refreezing products that have already thawed.