So serious is the problem that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will soon release food safety tips as part of the recently revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 'Keep Food Safe to Eat' guidelines will focus on ways to avoid trouble in our own kitchens. Always wash your hands before preparing food and after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Antibacterial hand sanitizers are no substitute for soap. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly in cold water to rinse off any microorganisms that may lurk on them.
Sponges can harbor battalions of nasty microbes.
Don't let raw meat or poultry juices drip onto other foods when you're grocery shopping, or in the refrigerator or ice chest. Don't use the same cutting board, platter, or utensils for raw meat as for other raw or cooked foods. And keep your cooking surfaces clean by sanitizing them with a solution of one tablespoon household bleach in a gallon of water. Keep cold foods cold. Load perishable groceries in your car, not in the hot trunk, and take them home immediately.