CLEAN SEPARATE COOK CHILL

Food Safety Counts!

United States Department of Agriculture
Always Check Your Steps To Protect 

Your Family From Food Poisoning

You do everything that is possible to 

protect yourself and your family. Caring 

for your family also means following food 

safety precautions in your kitchen, just as 

you do in other areas of your daily life. 

The food you serve your family can cause 

food poisoning if it is not safely handled, 

cooked, or stored.

Food poisoning is a bigger risk than 

you think. Harmful bacteria like E. coli

O157:H7, Listeria, or Salmonella can 

contaminate your food and cause 
illness, such as abdominal cramps and 

diarrhea. Foodborne illness can also 

cause more serious consequences for 

those who are at risk, such as infants 

and young children; pregnant women; 

older adults; and people with immune 

systems weakened by cancer treatment, 

diabetes, AIDS, or bone marrow and 

organ transplants.

There are four simple food safety steps 

you can follow to keep your family safe 

from food poisoning. 

You wear safety belts in the car to avoid 

injuries during a collision, and you teach 

your children to look both ways before 

crossing the street. Steps like these 

protect your family from possible injury. 

It’s just as important to wash your hands 

with soap and warm water for at least 20 

seconds before and after handling food 

and after using the bathroom, changing 

diapers, or handling pets. 

Clean cooking surfaces and utensils 

with soap and hot water to remove 

harmful bacteria. For extra protection, 

KEEP IT CLEAN
you can also sanitize surfaces by adding 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid 

chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water.

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly 

before eating or serving them raw. 

Dirty shoes in the house? Most parents 

try to keep them outside to prevent 

spreading dirt and germs. A similar 

precaution can be applied to food by 

keeping raw meats and their juices 

away from cooked foods to prevent 

spreading harmful bacteria. Use 

separate cutting boards and utensils, 

or wash them between uses, when 

preparing raw meat and vegetables. 

Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria 

spread between foods.

Remember to separate raw meat, poultry, 

and seafood from fruits, vegetables, and 

cooked foods when preparing meals and 

storing them in the refrigerator.

SEPARATE YOUR FOOD
Carbon monoxide detectors are 

important for alerting you to dangerous 

gas inside your home. You don’t rely on 

your senses of smell or sight to detect 

this hazard. It is just as important to 

use a food thermometer to make sure 

your cooked food is free of dangerous 

bacteria. You can’t see, smell, or taste 

bacteria that causes food poisoning, 

but a food thermometer can indicate 

when your food has been cooked to a 

safe internal temperature. Just as you 

would keep a fire extinguisher handy in 

the kitchen, keep your food thermometer 

handy and teach your children why 

and how to use it. 

Tips For Using a Food Thermometer:

• Insert the food thermometer into the 

 thickest part of the food, making sure 

 it doesn't touch bone, fat, or gristle. 

 For casseroles and other combination 

 dishes, place the food thermometer 

 in the center of the food. Egg dishes 

 and foods containing ground meat 

 and poultry should be checked in 

 several places. 

• There are three temperatures to 

 remember: 160 °F (71.1 °C) for 

 ground meats and egg dishes; 145 °F 

 (62.8 °C) for beef, veal, pork, and 

 lamb steaks, roasts, and chops (allow 

 the meat to rest for 3 minutes before 

 carving or consuming); and 165 °F 

 (73.9 °C) for all poultry, casseroles, 

 and reheating leftovers.

COOK FOOD TO THE

RIGHT TEMPERATURE
• Clean your food thermometer with 

 soap and hot water before and after 

 each use.

Just as you set your water heater to 

a safe temperature to avoid potential 

burns, it is also important to maintain 

your refrigerator at a temperature setting 

that prevents the growth of harmful 

bacteria. Harmful bacteria grow quickly 

in the “Danger Zone” [temperatures 

between 40 and 140  ̊F (4.4 and 60 °C)]. 

Refrigeration Tips:

• Maintain your refrigerator temperature 

 at 40 °F (4.4 °C) or below.

• Maintain your freezer temperature 

 at 0 °F (-17.7 °C) or below.

CHILL PROMPTLY

• Divide cooked foods into small 

 portions and place in shallow 

 containers so they can cool down 

 fast in the refrigerator.

• Never defrost meat, poultry, or fish 

 at room temperature. Defrost them 

 in the refrigerator. You can also use 

 cold water or a microwave oven, but 

 cook immediately after thawing.

• Don’t leave food out for more than 2 

 hours or 1 hour at temperatures 

 above 90  ̊F (32.2 °C).
Add These 4 Food Safety 

Steps to Your Home Safety 

Checklist:

Clean: Wash hands, 

cutting boards, utensils 

and countertops.

Separate: Keep raw meat, 

seafood, and poultry away 

from ready-to-eat foods.

Cook: Cook food to the right 

temperature.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly. 

Check all your steps at 

FoodSafety.gov. 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

February 2013

For more information on food safety, 

call the USDA Meat and Poultry 

Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline 

(1-888-674-6854) 

or visit AskKaren.gov or 

m.AskKaren.gov (mobile)

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Food Safety Counts!