[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]

FDA Medical Bulletin * Summer 1998 * Volume 28 Number 1

Food Safety Update

As a consequence of media coverage of foodborne disease outbreaks, more people are asking physicians and other health professionals questions about food safety and foodborne diseases. FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Agriculture, working with the Partnership for Food Safety Education (a coalition of national industry, government, and consumer organizations), have formulated messages to address knowledge gaps about foodborne illness identified by consumer research.

Bacteria are a part of all living things and are found on all raw agricultural products. Harmful bacteriacan be transferred from food to people, from people to food, or from one food to another.

Bacteria can grow rapidly at room temperature: As temperature rises, growth rate increases. Growth of most harmful bacteria in food can be slowed or stopped by refrigeration or freezing.

Food-related illness can produce symptoms (cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, fever) from mild to very serious, with illness occurring from 30 minutes to 2 weeks after eating food containing harmful bacteria.

People who are most vulnerable to food-related illness are infants and young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

The agencies and other members of the Partnership are publicizing four simple steps to keep foods safe:

Clean -- Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot soapy water before and after food preparation, and especially after preparing meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood.

Separate -- Keep raw meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods; never place cooked food on an unwashed plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, eggs, or seafood.

Cook -- Cook food to the proper internal temperature (this varies for different cuts and types of meat and poultry) and check for doneness with a food thermometer. Cook eggs until both yolk and white are firm.

Chill -- Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours and make sure that the refrigerator temperature is set no higher than 40° F and the freezer temperature is 0° F.

Free single copies of a useful brochure for patients, "Fight BAC! Four Simple Steps to Food Safety," are available by writing for Item 611E to Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, CO 81009.

Additional information can be obtained on the Internet at http://www.fightbac.org.

REPORT SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS AND PRODUCT PROBLEMS TO MEDWATCH
1-800-FDA-1088

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