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FoodTalk NewsletterSlightly revised, August 2000 University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County
Don't Mess with Food Safety Myths!TRUE or FALSE: The best way to decide if a food is safe to eat is to taste it.That belief, and others like it, focus our thoughts on food safety. Misconceptions about food safety abound and can make us sick! Check your food safety savvy against the statements that follow. Have you -- or people you know -- been misled by any of the following food safety myths?
Myth 1:"If it tastes O.K., it's safe to eat."
FACT:If you trust your taste buds to detect unsafe food, you may be in trouble. Many people think a food is safe to eat if it tastes, smells or looks all right. Foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year according to an article in the September-October 1999 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases. You can't always rely on your sense of taste, smell or sight to determine if a food is safe.Taking even a tiny bite to test the safety of a questionable food can be dangerous. For some food-borne illnesses, such as botulism, eating just a small amount of a contaminated food can be fatal.
Myth 2:"We've always handled our food this way and nothing has ever happened."
FACT:If you use past experiences to predict whether a food is safe, your future may include a food-borne illness.Many incidents of food-borne illness went undetected in the past. Food-borne illness symptoms of nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea were often and still are blamed on the "flu." Also, both the nature of our food supply and the virulence of food-borne pathogens has changed. In the past, the chicken served that night might have been walking around the backyard that afternoon! Today, your food may travel halfway around the world before it arrives at your table. Food often passes from producer to processor to retailer before it reaches you. The opportunities for mishandling are higher. More potent forms of bacteria present further problems. For example, in 1990 the U.S. Public Health Service cited E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni as the four most serious food-borne pathogens in the United States. Twenty years ago, three of these -- Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli O157:H7 -- weren't even recognized as sources of food-borne disease!
Myth 3:"I sampled it a couple of hours ago and never got sick -- so it should be safe to eat."FACT:Your timing may be way off if you believe this myth!Though you may feel all right a few hours after eating a food, the food still may be unsafe for you and others to consume. A food-borne illness may develop within 1/2 hour to a few days; some may occur as long as two or more weeks after eating a contaminated food. If sickness occurs 24 hours or more after eating a food -- which is often the case -- it's frequently blamed on other causes. Another consideration: While YOU might safely eat a food, someone with a weaker immune system could be more susceptible to food borne-illness. Young children, older individuals and persons with an illness are more vulnerable and would be more likely to get sick. Finally, if you guess wrong about the safety of a food, you -- and those you serve -- may feel more than a few hours of discomfort! Some food-borne illnesses can last several weeks or longer and require hospitalization. Some can be fatal.
Overcoming Food Safety MisconceptionsWhere can you obtain valid consumer food safety information? Here's a good place to start . . .A new consumer food safety campaign was launched this fall by the Partnership for Food Safety Education to help educate the public about food safety. This unique public-private partnership of industry, government and consumer groups is urging Americans to "Fight BAC!"(tm) and reduce food-borne illness. The campaign focuses on four critical messages:
CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often. SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate. COOK: Cook to proper temperatures. CHILL: Refrigerate promptly.For more information on materials and resources for consumer food safety education, check the Fight BAC!(tm) Web site: http://www.fightbac.org
And For Those Who Still Believe in Food Safety MythsMany people won't change their minds about food safety misconceptions until they -- or family members -- become sick. This is somewhat like saying "I'll buy insurance AFTER my house burns down."You only need an extra minute or two to wash hands, clean a cutting board, cook a food to a recommended temperature and so on. This is a small price to pay to help ensure that you, family members and friends avoid food-borne illness!
Remember"Food Safety" as You Plan 1998 Educational ProgramsThe consumer is the final link in the food safety chain of producer to processor to retailer to consumer. Safe consumer food handling is as important as safe handling by the other partners in the flow of food from "farm to table." If you'd like to offer a consumer food safety program, you might be interested in a food safety game, "Don't Get Bugged by a Foodborne Illness."Our office developed "Don't Get Bugged" for use with adults and youth age 12 and over. While content is geared toward consumer food safety, trainers working in food service operations can modify the materials to meet their specific needs. "Don't Get Bugged" has received a national award from the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Over 1,300 educators nationwide have used "Don't Get Bugged" since it was introduced September 1996. Each game packet contains a "quiz bowl" version to use with single players at health fairs, school fairs or clinics, PLUS a "bingo" version to use with groups in any setting. All materials may be reproduced on a standard copier for unlimited use. You are welcome to adapt materials as desired. (Cost: $13.95 + $2 for shipping and handling, TOTAL: $15.95.) If you'd like more information, e-mail me at AHENNEMAN1@UNL.EDU or visit my Web site: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/buggame.htm Your comments and suggestions about FoodTalk are welcome. Send to: AHENNEMAN1@UNL.EDU
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