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Cape May County Department of Health 6 Moore Road Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 Tel: [PHONE REDACTED] cmchealth.net Easy Lessons in Safe Food Handling. The U.S. Partnership for Food Safety Education is a non-profit organization. Be Food Safe is a joint program of the USDA & PFSE. Did you know that in the US each year… ...76 million cases of foodborne illness occur. ...more than 325,000 people are hospitalized for foodborne illness. ...5,000 people will die from foodborne illness. To receive public health news and information on local events, “like” us on Facebook. Prepare safely, eat healthy, BE HEALTHY! Cape May County Department of Health ---PAGE BREAK--- Clean. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get on hands, cutting boards, knives, and countertops. Frequent cleaning can keep that from happening. Follow These Four Easy Steps to Help Your Family Be Food Safe. WASH your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. RUN cutting boards and utensils through the dishwasher or wash them in hot soapy water after each use. KEEP countertops clean by washing with hot soapy water after preparing food. Separate. Cross-contamination is how bacteria spreads. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Chill. Bacteria spreads fastest at temperatures between 40˚F—135˚F, so chilling food properly is an effective way to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Cook. Even for experienced cooks, the improper heating and preparation of food means bacteria can survive. USE one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another for salads and ready-to- eat foods. KEEP raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices apart from other food items in your grocery cart. STORE raw meat, poultry, and seafood in a container or on a plate so juices can’t drip on other foods. STIR, rotate the dish, and cover food when microwaving to prevent cold spots where bacteria can survive. BRING sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil (or 165˚F) when reheating. CHILL leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours, and divide food into shallow containers for rapid cooling. THAW meat, poultry, and seafood in the fridge, not on the counter, and don’t overstuff the fridge. USE a food thermometer — you can’t tell food is cooked safely by how it looks. Ensure safety by heating to 165˚F. COOL the fridge to 40˚F or below, and use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature.