A recent recall of 36 million pounds of salmonella-contaminated turkey by the company Cargill reminded Americans once again about the failings of our food safety system. While the debt deal struck earlier this month puts funding for the Food Safety Modernization Act, which passed in 2010 and will help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) improve the safety of our food, at risk, there is information that can empower consumers now. Below is a comprehensive info graphic by the Heath and Fitness Blog Greatist.com that explains what you need to know about shopping for, handling and cooking food more safely, as well as a briefing on the sources of food-borne illness.
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I also agree that we seem to have far too many cooking shows that are competitions, which is the silliest thing ever. I have never understood this whole thing about these cooking competitions, the only real competition for a chef is how long his/her restaurant stays open. If you are good and provide the types/styles of food that people want, you will be around for a long time. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak.
The trick is getting this information into the hands of a distracted and food-ignorant public. I suggest we mandate that something like this be posted in the produce, dairy and meat aisles of every market in N. America.
Those of us who CHOOSE to eat raw and undercooked foods know the risks. And we're more careful about sourcing our foods. People need to know the rules. Then they can choose to bend them if they want.
Finally, food storage in the home refrigerator needs to be addressed. In the restaurant world, things least likely to cause food illness go on the top shelf. Raw poultry goes on the bottom. Everything else is shelved based on minimum safe cooking temperature -- dairy then fish then beef then pork. That way, if anything drips or splashes, it will fall on something that needs to be cooked longer/hotter. Keeps people from getting sick.
Home refrigerators are usually a chaotic mess. That is a VERY LIKELY cause of foodborne illness. Too many people have lettuce in the bottom crisper, with chicken juice dripping on it from a badly-sealed package above.