Here we go again.
Is it just me, or do we seem to have more salmonella outbreaks every year?

The main culprits seem to be ‘prepared’ fruits and vegetables, although that isn’t always the case. Many times a salmonella outbreak can involve whole cantaloupe or lettuce.

You can also become infected with salmonella from a variety of other foods including chicken, beef, turkey, pork, eggs, flour, peanut butter, onions, and more.

Symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Dehydration
• Stomach Cramps
• Excessive Vomiting
• Dizziness from Standing
• Diarrhea (which may be bloody)

The CDC claims salmonella causes more foodborne illnesses than any other bacteria, and that chicken is probably the number one cause for this illness.

In fact, The CDC, estimates that one out of every 25 chickens may be contaminated with Salmonella. That means I probably purchase several contaminated chickens every year. I find that a little frightening. What can we do to protect ourselves?

The best way to protect yourself is to follow these four guidelines recommended by the CDC. (Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill)

CLEAN
1) Wash hands with soap and clean, running water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially after touching raw or under-cooked eggs, meat, poultry (like chicken and turkey), seafood, or their juices.

2) Wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water, especially after they’ve touched raw or under-cooked eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices.

3) Don’t wash raw poultry, meat, or seafood before cooking. Washing can spread germs to other foods, utensils, and surfaces.

SEPARATE
1) Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods in your grocery cart and in your refrigerator. Keep eggs in the original carton and store them in the main part of the refrigerator, not in the door.

2) Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads and deli meat.

3) Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

4) Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw or under-cooked eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices.

COOK
1) Use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature:

• 145°F for beef, pork, ham, veal, and lamb (then let the meat rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
• 145°F for fish with fins (or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork)
• 160°F for ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, and ground lamb
• 160°F for egg dishes that do not contain meat or poultry
• 165°F for egg dishes that contain meat or poultry
• 165°F for poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), including ground chicken and ground turkey
• 165°F for leftovers and casseroles

2) Microwave food thoroughly. Follow recommended cooking and standing times.

3) Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm.

CHILL
1) Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or colder.

2) Never leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F (like a hot car or picnic). Perishable food includes meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables, cooked rice, and leftovers.

By following these simple suggestions you will decrease the chance that you and/or your family will succumb to this deadly bacteria. That’s a good start, but what more can I do?

Personally, I never buy chopped lettuce or sliced fruit because they seem to be involved in Salmonella Outbreaks several times each year. I imagine it has to do with the additional handling that is involved with this process.

One would think the grocery stores would be concerned about our health and not offer these prepackaged items since they seem to be so dangerous. The obvious reason they do this is purely for profit.

You can buy a whole watermelon for around $5, or purchase 15 small chunks of watermelon for $5, increasing the stores profit exponentially. Why waste your money?

Like most big businesses, grocery stores want to make as much money as possible. That’s understandable, but at what cost to society? In addition to causing illness and potentially death, the plastic packages they use to contain these bits of food pollute our land and the oceans worldwide.

It’s well documented that plastic waste in our oceans kill tens of thousands of fish, turtles, birds, and other life forms every year.

By avoiding these ‘packaged’ fruits and vegetables you will eliminate the pollution caused by the disposal of these plastic containers.

The reality is, I’m not that lazy. I can chop my own lettuce and slice my own cantaloupe. It’s safer and cheaper, and that’s all the incentive I need to avoid prepackaged fruits and vegetables. And when it comes to keeping my work area clean, well, that’s just common sense.

Keep in mind, there are about 1.35 million cases of salmonellosis in the United States each year, with 26,500 hospitalizations and over 400 deaths.

By purchasing whole fruits & vegetables and following the simple CDC guidelines mentioned above you will protect yourself, and your family, from Salmonella and other foodborne bacteria’s.

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Thank you for reading my article.

References include:
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage.
Google search.