World Food Safety Day
World Food Safety Day is June 7!
Whether you’re cooking your first meals in a college dorm or meal-prepping for the week ahead, understanding the basics of food safety can help you avoid foodborne illnesses and keep your kitchen a safe and healthy place. Follow these essential tips from the U.S. FDA’s Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.
Clean: Start with a Fresh Space
Before you even think about cooking, it’s important to start clean.
Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Need a timer? Sing “Happy Birthday” twice!
Rinse fresh produce—even fruits and veggies you plan to peel. Germs can transfer from the skin to the inside when you cut them.
Clean all surfaces—including cutting boards, utensils, countertops, and even the inside of your fridge and microwave—with hot, soapy water.
Wash food packaging, like the tops of cans and jars, before opening them.
A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen. Don’t skip the scrubbing!
Separate: Don’t Cross Contaminate
It’s important to keep food separated from each other until you’re ready to combine them. This helps prevent the spread of bacteria and reduces the risk of cross contamination.
No Touching - Unless directed to do so, foods should not come into contact with each other.
Lids - Keep your foods, especially meats, covered and on the lower shelves of the fridge or freezer.
Tools - Use separate cooking tools like spatulas, tongs, or whisks when appropriate.
Serve - Throughly clean plates and platters that had raw foods on them before using them to eat from - or just get a new one!
Cook: Heat Things Up the Right Way
Cooking isn’t just about taste—it’s also about hitting the right temperatures to kill harmful bacteria.
Use a food thermometer and cook foods to these safe minimum temperatures:
Seafood – 145°F
Beef, pork, ham – 145°F + 3-minute rest
Ground meats and egg dishes – 160°F
Poultry and leftovers – 165°F
Other important reminders:
No raw dough! Flour and eggs can carry bacteria—bake it before you taste it.
Microwave meals? Rotate food while heating and follow standing times to make sure everything gets evenly cooked.
Dining out? Be cautious of foods made with raw or undercooked ingredients. Ask your server when in doubt.
Chill: Keep It Cool, Keep It Safe
Cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria, so it’s important to chill food properly.
Refrigerate groceries, leftovers, and takeout within 2 hours—or just 1 hour if it’s hotter than 90°F outside.
Use a thermometer to make sure your fridge is at or below 40°F and your freezer is at 0°F.
Store cold foods properly when traveling by using insulated coolers with ice packs.
Leave space in your fridge and freezer so air can circulate and keep everything evenly cold.
Pro tip: Check out the USDA’s FoodKeeper App to see how long your favorite foods stay safe in the fridge or freezer.
Food safety is simple when you follow these key steps: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. By taking a few extra minutes to wash, heat, and store your food properly, you’ll set yourself up for safe, healthy eating—now and in the future.
For more food safety tips, visit www.fda.gov/food.