Food poisoning happens when you eat food contaminated with particular microbes. Anyone is at risk of getting a foodborne illness. You can better prevent it by knowing how to properly prepare and store food.

Anyone can get food poisoning. Following food preparation and storage instructions carefully is important to avoid this risk.

People who may be more at risk of more severe illness from foodborne pathogens include:

  • older adults (over 65)
  • younger children (under 5 years)
  • people with weakened immune systems
  • pregnant people

Read on to learn five ways you can help prevent food poisoning.

Frequently washing your hands and surfaces can help prevent the spread of germs that cause food poisoning.

Make sure to wash your hands when preparing food and before eating. When washing your hands, you should wash for a minimum of 20 seconds and use warm or cold water with soap.

Always wash your hands after touching uncooked:

  • meat
  • chicken and other poultry
  • seafood
  • flour
  • eggs

Keep your cooking equipment clean by washing it in hot, soapy water after you prepare each food item. Make sure to wash all utensils, cutting boards, and countertops.

You should also rinse fresh fruit and vegetables under running water before use.

Make sure you separate foods so that they do not spread germs to other areas. For example, make sure to keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from other foods. This includes when these foods are marinating.

Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood to ensure that there’s no cross-contamination. Bread and other foods, such as fruit and vegetables, should have their own separate cutting board or plate.

Raw chicken does not need to be washed before use. Running it under the tap can spread germs to the sink and counter and other foods.

If you want to wash your chicken, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends running water over it gently to reduce splashing. Then, immediately clean the sink and sink area with hot, soapy water. Make sure to wash your hands afterward.

In the United States, people eat chicken more than any other meat. Raw chicken may contain bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Clostridium perfringens.

According to the CDC, 1 million people in the United States get sick from contaminated poultry each year.

It’s important to cook chicken thoroughly to prevent these bacteria from causing food poisoning.

The CDC recommends the following to keep food within safe temperatures:

  • Don’t leave food out at room temperature.
  • Make sure your refrigerator is set to 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below.
  • Keep warm or hot food in shallow containers before refrigeration. That way, they’ll chill faster.
  • Put perishable food in the fridge after no more than 2 hours of being out at room temperature.
  • Do not thaw food on the counter. Certain parts of the food may reach room temperature faster, and bacteria in these parts can start to multiply faster.

Keep up-to-date on food recall information. Make sure that you carefully follow food cooking and storage instructions.

If you’re not sure whether something is OK to eat or if you aren’t sure about its previous storage conditions, throw it out.

Many foods can contain bacteria and other microorganisms that can multiply rapidly if not stored or cooked properly.

Make sure to keep yourself and your family safe by carefully following any food storage and cooking instructions. Keep foods such as meat separate from other foods, and make sure to wash your hands and any surfaces that touch raw meat, fish, or eggs.

Keepng the five tips above in mind can help you maintain food safety in your household or anywhere you may be cooking.