Kristin Mills, Public Health Educator, Maui District Health Office

September is National Food Safety Education Month. Raising awareness around food safety is crucial because millions of people each year get sick from foodborne illness.

Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, is an illness caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages. There are many types of foodborne illnesses that can be caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

• Norovirus and Hepatitis A are examples of viral foodborne illness.

• Salmonella and E. coli are examples of bacterial foodborne illnesses.

• Rat Lungworm Disease is an example of a parasitic foodborne illness.

Symptoms may vary depending on the type of foodborne illness, but often include nausea, stomach cramps and/or pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, and fever. More severe cases can lead to dehydration, kidney failure, neurological problems, hospitalization, and even death. Depending on the type of foodborne illness, symptoms can start between 30 minutes and several days after consuming contaminated food or beverages and can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks.

Why is food safety important?

1. Reduces illness: About 48 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the US each year (about 1 in 6 Americans). These illnesses result in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths each year. Following a few simple food safety tips can help lower your chance of getting sick.

2. Protects vulnerable populations: Youth, pregnant women, elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to severe illness from food poisoning.

3. Saves money: Preventing foodborne illness reduces healthcare costs and lost productivity due to a prolonged illness.

Here are a few key food safety steps to follow:

• Clean: Wash hands and surfaces frequently. Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food and before eating. Wash, rinse, and sanitize utensils, cutting boards, and countertops after each use. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water. But do NOT rinse meat, poultry, or eggs as this can increase the risk of foodborne illness by spreading bacteria around your kitchen.

• Separate: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from other food to prevent cross-contamination, while grocery shopping, when prepping food for your meal, and when storing food in the fridge. While shopping, keep these food items separate from other items in your cart and then have them bagged separately. During food prep, use separate cutting boards and plates for produce and for meat. When storing food in the fridge, place cooked and ready-to-eat food on the top shelf and any raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs on lower shelves. This way, if the raw animal products drip juices, they won’t drip onto cooked and ready-to-eat items.

• Cook: Use a food thermometer to ensure food is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Depending on the food items being prepared, food should be cooked to between 145 degrees Fahrenheit (F) – 165F and then kept hot above 135F. When microwaving food, food temperatures should reach at least 165F.

• Chill: Refrigerate perishable food and leftovers to below 70F within four hours of cooking and then to below 41F within two more hours. Also, never thaw or marinade food at room temperature; rather, thaw or marinade food in the fridge. Discard food after four hours within the danger zone (between 41F – 135F). If family members are late for dinner, it’s best to refrigerate the leftovers rather than leaving them out in an unsafe temperature. The food items can always be reheated later and won’t potentially make people sick.

• Human health: Never prepare food for others when you are sick. Make sure your kitchen has good access for hand washing (running water, soap, and paper towels), and make sure you don’t have pests and vermin near your cooking area and food.

Finally, food permits are needed to sell food. These food items also need to be made in a permitted kitchen (not in a home), with few exceptions.

Through proper food safety awareness, you can create healthy and safe food for yourself, your families, and community and help cut down on foodborne illness. For more information or to inquire about food permits, contact the Maui District Health Office Food Safety Branch at 808-984-8230.

Kristin Mills is the Public Health Educator for the Maui District Health Office.