Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water for at least 30 seconds, even when the label says they're prewashed and ready to eat. Scrub apples, carrots, and cantaloupe with a produce brush. Discard the outer leaves of greens, and wash each leaf you use. Throw discolored or soft berries away. When you prepare meat or poultry, don't use the same plate for both the raw meat and the cooked meat unless you wash the plate carefully after removing the raw meat.
Bacteria multiply quickly in raw meat juices.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are hot throughout. Wash the thermometer after each test so you don't contaminate the cooked meat with uncooked juices. Never leave food out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. What to do if you suspect food-borne illness The FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition suggests these guidelines if you think you have an illness transmitted by food. Save the evidence.