Food Safety for Kids
Don ’t get poisoned from your food

Today ’ s Agenda
Food
Poisoning
Facts
Food Safety at the
Grocery Store
Food Safety at Home

Food Poisoning Facts
When, Where, and How Food
Poisoning Can Occur

What is Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning is the result of eating food that contains something to make you sick.
This sickness can be caused by microbes or toxins in the food.

Common Causes of
Food Poisoning
Most of the time, foodborne illness comes from people not washing their hands.
It can also come from handling food in incorrect and unhealthy ways.

Leading Causes of Food
Poisoning
Contaminated seafood is the leading known cause of foodborne illness outbreaks.
The next largest causes are eggs, fruits and vegetables, beef, and poultry.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning
• Symptoms of food poisoning vary according to the type of illness but may include:
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Fever
– Dizziness
– Cramps
– Diarrhea

Food Poisoning
Food poisoning affects between 60 and 80 million people worldwide each year.

Food Poisoners
Undercooked ground beef that was contaminated is a key carrier of E.Coli.
So is raw milk that was contaminated during processing.
E. Coli is one of the most dangerous causes of foodborne illness.

Food Poisoners
Salmonella poisoning usually comes from improperly cooked eggs or chicken
Or food that comes into contact with raw eggs or chicken and is then not cooked before serving.
Salmonella is another bacteria that causes food poisoning.

Food Poisoners
This type of illness is rare but almost always deadly.
Do not use any canned food that comes from a damaged can.
Botulism has been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks that involve canned goods.

Food Safety at the Grocery
Store
Keep things fresh, healthy, and free from contamination

Check the Package
Whether you’re shopping for raw chicken or
Cheerios, check the package for holes, tears, open corners, or broken safety seals.
Avoid anything that looks off or odd.

Shopping Order
Make the frozen and refrigerated sections your last stop. Get everything else first.
That way, those foods are at room temperature for as short a time as possible.
If it is hot outside, have the butcher pack your meat, fish, or poultry on ice.

Separate, Separate, Separate
Place all raw meat, poultry and fish in plastic bags to keep stray juices from dripping onto other foods in the shopping cart.
Place each package in a separate plastic bag.

Check the Date
Except for infant formula and baby food, there are no rules governing the use of dates on foods.
Stores are not required to remove a food when it goes past its use-by date, so you have to keep an eye on these.

Date Decoder
Sell by --
These usually show the last date that a product should be sold.
Use by -- These dates refer to the last possible date a product should be
Best if used by --
These usually refer to flavor or product quality, rather than safety.
used.

Food Safety at Home
Fight Germs and Stay Healthy!

Before You Start Cooking
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water.
Wash and sanitize all work surfaces (include cutting boards and knives) whenever you ’re using raw meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.

Defrosting Delights
Defrost foods in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter.
Bringing frozen food to room temperature and then letting it sit out for hours is a dangerous way to go.

While You Are Cooking
Use separate knives and cutting boards for meat and vegetables.
Otherwise, you might get germs from the raw meat onto the vegetables or other foods.

While You Are Cooking
Cooking kills bacteria.
Use a thermometer whenever you’re cooking meat. That way, you can make sure it gets hot enough.

How Hot Should It Get?
Red Meat Edition
Cook hamburgers and ground meat to
160 ºF.
Cook whole meat like roasts and steaks to at least 145 ºF.

How Hot Should It Get?
Birds and Fish
Whole poultry should be cooked to 165 ºF.
If you don ’t have a meat thermometer, make sure that the juices run clear and the meat is not raw around the bone.
Cook fish until it flakes easily with a fork and is completely opaque.
Make sure that it is not raw in the center.

Eggs for Everyone!

Presentation
Put cooked foods on clean plates.
Serve hot foods hot. That means they should be at least above 140º F.

Clean Up
Use paper towels, not old sponges, to clean up the kitchen.
Wash dishes, cookware, and utensils in the dishwasher or in hot water (at least 140 ºF) with soap. Rinse them well.

Store Leftovers Safely
Put your food in the refrigerator as quickly as possible. Cold temperatures keep bacteria from growing.
Promptly refrigerate leftovers in covered containers.

Two Hour Rule
Perishable foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or dairy products should not sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.

Evaluating Leftovers
Should I Eat That?
Remember, some bacteria does not have a smell, so don ’t rely on your nose to determine whether a food is safe to eat.
When in doubt, throw it out!

Food Safety Quiz
• Another word for food poisoning is ___.
– Food toxicity -- Foodborne bacteria
– Foodborne illness -- A vacation day
• True or false: Most of the time, food poisoning comes from people not washing their hands.

Food Safety Quiz
• Another word for food poisoning is ___.
– Food toxicity -- Foodborne bacteria
– Foodborne illness -- A vacation day
• True or false: Most of the time, food poisoning comes from people not washing their hands.

Food Safety Quiz
• _____ temperatures keep bacteria from growing.
– Hot
– Mild
-- Cold
-- Extreme
• True or false: Bacteria gives away its presence with a strong smell.

Food Safety Quiz
• _____ temperatures keep bacteria from growing.
– Hot
– Mild
-Cold
-- Extreme
• True or false : Bacteria gives away its presence with a strong smell.

What Did You Learn?
• That’s all for today.
• What are the 3 most important things to know about food safety?
• Do you have any questions?