Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often

Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, counter tops and food. To Fight BAC!^® always:

• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
• Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
• Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.
• Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing wtih running tap water.

Download the Clean Fact Sheet - (B&W version)

Separate: Don't Cross-Contaminate!

Cross-contamination is how bacteria can be spread. When handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Always start with a clean scene -- wash hands with warm water and soap. Wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops and utensils with hot soapy water.

• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator.
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

Download the Separate Fact Sheet - (B&W version)

Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures

Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a food thermometer to to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. Refer to the Heat It Up chart for the safe internal temperatures. The best way to Fight BAC!^® is to:

• Use a food thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Cook roasts and steaks to a minimum of 145°F. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.
• Cook ground meat, where bacteria can spread during grinding, to at least 160°F. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links eating undercooked ground beef with a higher risk of illness. Remember, color is not a reliable indicator of doneness Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Don't use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked.
• Cook fish to 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
• Make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive) when cooking in a microwave oven. For best results, cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.

Download the Cook Fact Sheet - (B&W version)

Chill: Refrigerate Promptly!

Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Do not over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to help keep food safe. Keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40°F or below is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40°F or below. The freezer temperature should be 0°F or below.

• Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs and other perishables as soon as you get them home from the store.
• Never let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90°F).
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
• Always marinate food in the refrigerator.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
• Use or discard refrigerated food on a regular basis. Check the Cold Storage Chart for optimum storage times.

Download the Chill Fact Sheet - (B&W version)

Get Involved

Fight BAC!
Join the network of consumers and educators who are fighting BAC! (foodborne bacteria). Sign up to receive our weekly ecards on safe food handling.  We'll send you educational materials and reminders of what you can do to reduce risk of foodborne illness.  It's free, and many of our materials are customizable.

Share Your Story
We invite you to share your Fight BAC!® activities with us.  We may feature your story on this website!  Use this quick form to share your story.

Get Materials
In our Fight BAC!® Store, you will find a wide variety of items that can enhance your program or campaign.

Donate
Donate now to support the Partnership. We rely on charitable contributions to do our work. We are not involved with regulatory or policy matters, we exist to improve public health through research-based, actionable consumer food safety initiatives that reduce foodborne illness.

Stay Connected
We love to hear from you! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube channel and RSS feed to get our latest updates in consumer food safety education!

Get more information for:
Educators
Consumers
Media
Trade Associations and Consumer Interest Groups
Retailers
Corporations

FIRST LEGO League

The Partnership for Food Safety Education Supports FIRST® LEGO® League Teams

Guided by adult coaches and mentors, FIRST® LEGO® League teams discover exciting career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society. Annual themed Challenges task teams to identify a real-world scientific problem and develop a possible solution or improve upon existing technology.

Can FIRST® LEGO® League teams improve the quality of food by finding ways to prevent food contamination? In the 2011 Food Factor Challenge, over 200,000 9-16 year olds (9-14 in the US, Canada, and Mexico) from over 55 countries will explore the topic of food safety and examine the possible points of contamination our food encounters – from exposure to insects and creatures, to unsterile processing and transportation, to unsanitary preparation and storage – then find ways to prevent or combat these contaminates.  In the Food Factor Challenge, teams will build, test, and program an autonomous robot using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT to solve a set of Food Safety missions as well as research, develop, and share their innovative food safety solutions.  Throughout their experience, teams will operate under FLL’s signature set of Core Values.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education is proud to serve as a resource to FIRST® LEGO® League teams. Teams are invited to explore resources to find information on safe food handling in the home. In addition, teams may contact Partners for information on specific foods or areas of interest. Teams may also submit their questions via email. The Partnership for Food Safety is also interested in teams' stories! If your team wants to share their experience and what they discovered about safe food handling in the home, please contact us.

FIRST® LEGO® 2011 Food Factor Challenge

Members of the Partnership for Food Safety Education:

• American Dietetic Association
• American Frozen Food Institute
• Association of Food and Drug Officials
• Consumer Federation of America
• Food Marketing Institute
• Grocery Manufacturers Association
• Institute of Food Technologists
• International Association for Food Protection
• International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association
• International Food Information Council Foundation
• National Chicken Council
• National Pork Board
• National Turkey Federation
• North American Millers' Association
• NSF International
• Produce Marketing Association
• United Fresh Produce Association

Federal Government Liaisons:

• National Center for Infectious Diseases/ Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Food & Drug Administration/ Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture/ Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)