I don’t know about you, but every time I hear a news report informing of some food related tragedy, I become afraid to eat almost anything.  At one time or another we’ve all been reluctant to eat cranberries, spinach, beef, peanut butter, cookie dough, salsa, strawberries, milk, on and on.  There isn’t very much we can do if food is contaminated during the manufacturing process, other than if it looks or smells funny, don’t eat it.  Throw it away or bring it back to the store.  Don’t take a chance.

But following these tips will help you to avoid becoming one of the millions of Americans who become ill each year due to contaminated food.

·         Is your supermarket clean?  The county health department inspects most supermarkets 2 –3  times a year.  If you feel your grocery store may not be up to snuff, ask the store manager to show you the inspection results.

·         Plan your shopping so you add perishables to your cart LAST.  You want your produce, meat, poultry, frozen foods, dairy and prepared foods to spend as little time as possible unrefrigerated. 

·         Keep the meat and poultry separate from the other items in your cart so there won’t be any cross contamination with other foods.  Bag them in a separate plastic bag.

·         Check the  “Sell-by” and “Use by” dates on the product labels.  Pay special attention to the dates on bagged salads.  It’s possible that E. Coli grows faster in greens that are older and decomposing.

·         Produce that has punctured or bruised skin is an invitation to bacteria.  Also beware of partially defrosted frozen foods. 

·         Although packaged salad is very convenient, it’s safest to buy produce in its unprocessed state, wash and dry thoroughly, and use within a few days.

Use the antibacterial wipes offered at many supermarket entrances for your hands an cart handle.