Aug 5, 2008 2 min read

Keep food clean to keep it safe. Start with these six tips:

– When grilling, wash the platter used to bring meat to the grill with hot soapy water and rinse before using again. If you use the same unwashed plate, bacteria from the raw meat will contaminate the cooked meat.

– Cutting boards made of plastic are easiest to keep clean. Wooden boards can absorb the bacteria from one food and pass them on to the next food. Wash cutting boards with hot soapy water and rinse with hot water.

– Wash produce, such as fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs thoroughly. Avoid using soap for washing produce, because soap residue may make you ill.

– Air-dry dishes or use a clean towel each time. Use a separate towel for hands.

– Keep raw meat, poultry, and fish and their juices away from other food.

For instance, wash your hands, cutting board, knife and countertops in hot soapy water after cutting up a chicken and before slicing salad ingredients.

– Hand washing is one of the most important things you can do to reduce risk of food borne illness.

Wash hands with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.

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Cathy Brady is an educator with the Penn State Cooperative Extension, an educational network that gives people access to the resources and expertise of Penn State University.

Local extension educators and volunteers ca be reached at fayettext@psu.edu or by phone at 724-438-0111.

For more information, interested parties can check the state’s Web site at www.extension.psu.edu.

This article was taken from “Solution Source” a Web-based information system from Penn State Cooperative Extension.

For information on other health-related topics, visit a href=”http://solutions.psu.edu http://solutions.psu.edu end

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