A Vote for Thermy is a Vote for Food Safety

Sep 06, 2016

By: Thermy the Food Thermometer, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA

My fellow Americans, there is a serious issue plaguing our country—one in six Americans gets sick with foodborne illness every year. And with the start of Food Safety Education Month, the time has come to stand up and fight!

Now, do you know who causes these illnesses every year? That’s right—Bacteria! And he does not have your family’s health on his mind. Bacteria supports practices like cross-contamination and undercooking meat and poultry. With those platforms, he is endangering the health of Americans all over this country.

Every American should be armed with the knowledge and resources to fight foodborne illness and protect their families. And with your vote, we can take down Bacteria and his dangerous policies with four simple food safety initiatives—Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

A Platform for Food Safety

Clean

Keeping our hands clean is the easiest way to fight off germs and disease. All it takes is 20 seconds with warm water and soap. And how long you wash is just as important as how often. Wash your hands before and after handling food, after using the bathroom, after handling pets, and after taking care of someone who is sick. Remember, to win this fight against Bacteria, we’ve got to keep it clean!

Separate

We’ve also got to separate our raw meat and poultry from our ready-to-eat foods. We can’t build a wall to keep bacteria out, so make sure you’ve got separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils ready so that you can prevent cross-contamination at home.

Cook

Every time we cook, Bacteria will attempt to fool us by trying to make our food “look” safe. But we know better! You can’t tell if your food is safe by looking at it; using a food thermometer is the only way to know your food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Chill

And last, but certainly not least, refrigerating foods promptly can stop Bacteria in his tracks, slowing his growth. Chill perishable foods within two hours to prevent Bacteria from releasing toxins that can make your family sick.

Let’s take the time to ensure the food we serve is safe. Today is the day we fight—Fight for our families… Fight for our neighbors… And fight for a food safe America!