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W.I.C.
 Real Guidelines for Real People:Four Steps to Fight Bac!™ The power to prevent foodborne illness is in your hands. How you wash your hands, and how you handle food in your home, can determine whether or not your family will get a foodborne illness. Foodborne illness come from eating food that is contaminated with an illness are often confused with the 24-hour flu. For most healthy people, about of foodborne illness is neither long lasting nor life threatening. It feels like the flu and lasts just a day or two. However, the consequences can be severe, and even fatal, for young children, older people and those who have a weakened immune system. Mishandling food at home is a leading cause of foodborne illness. The good news is that you can protect your family with four simple steps: clean, separate, cook and chill. Keeping your family's food safe to eat. 1. Take steps every day to Fight Bac!™  Keeping food safe to eat is something that everyone needs to do
every day. To insure the safety of your family's food supply, follow the four simple Fight Bac™ steps: clean, separate, cook
and chill.2. CLEAN: Wash your hands thoroughly. Wash your hands with hot soapy water before handling food - and
after using the bathroom, handling pets, or changing diapers. When you are away from soap and water, use disinfectant wipes or gel regularly.3. CLEAN: Wash all utensils and cooking surfaces. Wash dishes, utensils and cutting boards ( use non-porous types)
with hot soapy water after preparing each food. When cooking and eating outside, use plastic or paper products and throw away after the meal.4. SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate raw foods. Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from all others foods in your
shopping cart and in your refrigerator. When putting food into a cooler, wrap meats securely and keep them separate from the other foods.5. SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate in cooking. While cooking, use one cutting board for raw meat products and
another for produce and ready-to-eat foods. After grilling, never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw foods, like meat, poultry or
fish.6. COOK: Prepare all foods at proper temperatures. Foods must be cooked long enough and at a high enough temperature to
kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. For example, fish must be cooked until it is nontransparent and flakes easily with a fork.
7. COOK: Use a food thermometer to check temps. Use a food thermometer, not color, to judge whether food has reached
a proper internal temperature. Grill steaks and roasts to 145 degrees F, ground beef to 160 degrees F, and chicken breast to 170 degrees F.8. CHILL: Refrigerate raw foods and leftovers promptly. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers
within two hours. Keep coolers as cold as possible by replenishing ice blocks and gel packs frequently. Always keep coolers in the shade.9. CHILL: Defrost and marinate all foods in the fridge. Never defrost foods at room temperature or marinate meats on
counter tops. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Marinate meat in the fridge in leak-proof plastic
bags.10. Take steps to Fight Bac!™ In the house, on the deck, in the backyard, on the road, in the RV,
on the trail, or around the campfire, follow the four steps to keeping food safe. With a just little care, you can keep bacteria from spoiling your
meals.For tips on easy ways to fight foodborne illness, click on:
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Last Updated 4/25/03