Foodborne illness is common. Four habits prevent most of it.
How it works, step by step
Clean: wash hands and surfaces.
Separate: keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food.
Cook: to safe internal temperatures (poultry 74 °C / 165 °F).
Chill: refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 32 °C / 90 °F).
Higher-risk groups
Pregnant people, young children, older adults and immunocompromised people should avoid unpasteurized milk, raw sprouts and undercooked eggs and meat.
Evidence & sources
Each year about 48 million people in the US get sick from foodborne illness. Evidence: strong. Known: CDC estimate. Unknown: Estimates rely on modeling. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States (2011).