Food Safety

Four basic rules of food safety can help prevent foodborne illness from ruining gatherings for you and your loved ones.

  • Chill: Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from multiplying. Set your refrigerator to 40 F or below and your freezer to 0 F or below.
  • Clean: Be sure to wash your hands and food surfaces often.
  • Cook: Use proper temperatures to cook your food. Heating your food at a high enough temperature for a long enough time can help ensure safely cooked food. Use a clean thermometer and be sure if you are reheating food that leftovers should be heated to 165 F.
  • Separate: Don't cross-contaminate! This is how bacteria can spread from one food item to another. This is especially true with raw meat, poultry, and seafood, so keep these foods and their juices away from foods that aren't going to be cooked.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, foodborne illness happens, but it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms. Oftentimes, people think their illness was caused by their last meal, but in fact, most foodborne bacteria take about 1 to 3 days to make you ill.

Foodborne Illness

If you get sick with foodborne illness, you might have:

  • Diarrhea
  • Flu-like Symptoms
  • Stomach Cramps
  • Vomiting

Consult with your physician if you have any concerns or if your symptoms worsen and, as always, wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of your illness. If you suspect you became ill from eating out, contact City-County Health Department so we can investigate and determine if any action needs to be taken.