Statistics show, she says, that one in four chickens have salmonella. To counter attack this illness, food preparers should cook poultry to 165 degrees for 15 seconds and avoid cross contamination which would infect other refrigerated food. For example, do not use a bowl in which chicken was defrosted to store vegetables. Another illness that is contracted through unpasteurized food products is listeriosis. To avoid spreading this disease, Davis recommends using only pasteurized food, avoiding cross contamination, and cooking foods to the proper internal temperatures.
Botulism can occur with home-canned products.
Adding a half-teaspoon of garlic to hamburger can help kill the pathogens. Davis also advises cooks not to let meat sit out at room temperature for too long. Defrost meat in the refrigerator or in the microwave, never by leaving it on the counter. The dietitians also talk about viruses, which need a living cell to reproduce. That means they do not breed in specific foods as the bacteria discussed.