Washington, DC, June 28, 2001 - More than one out of five Americans are "two-timing" with their kitchen towel that is, using the same towel to wipe up dirty surfaces and dry their hands after washing, according to a new survey released by The Partnership for Food Safety Education.

The survey, conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide, Inc. for the Partnership for Food Safety Education, surveyed 1003 adults in June 2001 and found that 21% of consumers use the same towel to wipe up dirty surfaces and dry their clean hands. Of those that use cloth towels instead of paper towels, about one-half of the respondents, 40% claimed to use the same towel for multiple purposes. The survey found that single white males between the ages of 35 and 54 were the worst offenders.

This poll follows an August 2000 Utah State University study that videotaped consumers in their homes to identify their home food safety practices. That study, led by Dr. Ja net Anderson, Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and the director of the Safe Food Institute, concluded that although the majority of consumers attempt to handle food safely, they overlook some important steps that can help prevent foodborne illness including steps that prevent cross-contamination.

"So many consumers attempt to clean surfaces well, but lack the necessary knowledge to protect themselves from foodborne illness," says Dr. Anderson. "We want to make sure consumers have good information on how to handle food safely. The Partnerships Fight BAC!" campaign is a key in getting that done."

With the onset of summer comes grilling, picnicking, the July 4th holiday and an increase in reported foodborne illness cases. The Fight BAC!" campaign wants you to remember these four easy food safety steps to help keep your summer festivities fun and safe.

Clean
Wash hands with warm, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers or handling pets. When preparing food and eating away from home, find out if there is a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean, wet, disposable washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.

Separate: Dont Cross-Contaminate
Use separate towels for wiping up dirty surfaces and drying clean hands or surfaces. Wash dishes, utensils, and cutting boards that held the raw meat, poultry or seafood before using them again for cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Be sure to bring a clean platter to the grill for transporting cooked foods to the table.

Cook
Be sure meats, poultry, eggs and seafood are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to check internal temperature of meats, poultry and egg dishes. Remember color is NOT a reliable indicator of doneness of meat, poultry and egg dishes. Look for grill friendly food thermometers if you are cooking outdoors and dont forget to bring a flashlight so you can read the thermometer if you are grilling in the dark.

Cook hamburger and other ground meats to an internal temperature of 160° F; cook beef, veal and lamb steaks and roast to 145° F for medium rare and 160° F for medium; cook pork to 160° F; cook ground poultry to 165° F; cook whole poultry to 180° F in the thigh and breast meat to 170° F; cook seafood until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Cook egg dishes to 160° F.

Chill
Keep cold foods cold. Luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken, deviled eggs and potato or pasta salads should be kept in insulated coolers packed with plenty of ice, ice packs or containers of frozen water until ready to serve. Food should not sit at room temperature longer than 2 hours and 1 hour in temperatures above 90° F.

Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently. Fight BAC!" is a national consumer education campaign sponsored by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, a coalition of industry, government and consumer groups. The campaign is designed to teach consumers about the importance of food safety and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness.