Why
is food safety important?
The U.S. government
estimates that 80
million Americans
suffer from foodborne
illness each year,
but many cases of
food poisoning go
unreported. People
who experience symptoms
such as sudden,
severe diarrhea
and vomiting may
attribute them to
intestinal flu,
and consequently
not see a doctor
for diagnosis.
When people think
about food poisoning,
they most often
think about the
massive outbreaks
that make headlines
-- such as the e.coli
outbreak in the
Northwest several
years ago, or the
"mad cow" scare
in England. But
the truth is that
food poisoning more
often occurs as
the result of unsafe
food handling practices
at home. For instance,
it's estimated that
half of all salmonella
cases originate
in the home.
Take time to assess
your own food handling
practices, from
store to kitchen
to stove top. Be
sure to teach the
rest of your family
the basics about
hand washing and
food preparation.
A few easy steps
now could save you
a lot of pain and
illness later.
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