Included in the primer, which was jointly developed by the American Medical Association (AMA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are patient education materials from the Partnership on how to prevent food borne illness.

"Physicians and other health care professionals often overlook food safety issues when talking to their patients," says Melanie Miller, Executive Director of the Partnership, a national coalition of government, consumer and industry groups that provides food safety education efforts through its Fight BAC!™ campaign. "Consumers trust their health care professionals. That's why we are so pleased that AMA has made food safety a top priority and has included Fight BAC! materials in their foodborne illness materials."

The Fight BAC!™ campaign is designed to teach consumers about the importance of food safety in the home in an effort to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness. The campaign provides safety tips, an education curriculum for use in schools and a website (www.fightbac.org) where individuals can obtain additional resource information on food safety.

Although everyone should follow steps to prevent food borne illness, according to Miller, if you are among those at high risk, you need to be aware of and follow the most current information on food safety.

If you are at higher risk, you are advised not to eat:

• Raw fish or shellfish
• Raw or unpasteurized milk or cheese,
• Soft cheeses (feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined and Mexican-style cheese)
• Raw or undercooked eggs or foods containing raw or lightly cooked eggs
• Raw or undercooked meat or poultry
• Raw sprouts
• Unpasteurized fruit or vegetable juices.

It is also important to reheat some foods that are bought precooked, such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, fermented and dry sausage and other deli-style meats and poultry products Miller said.

According to Miller, everyone should follow key food safety tips including:

CLEAN
Always wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling food. Keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean, too. Clean up kitchen surfaces with a clean cloth or paper towels. Always serve food on clean plates.

SEPARATE
Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood away from fruits and vegetables so juices will not cross-contaminate foods. Do not put fresh food on a serving platter that has already been used for another food.

COOK
Cook foods thoroughly to safe temperatures. (Roast beef to 145°F for medium rare; whole poultry to 180°F, poultry breasts to 170°F and ground poultry to 165°F; and ground beef to 160°F. To test fish for doneness, make sure it is opaque and flaky. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. If using eggs in recipes, cook to an internal temperature of at least 160°F.)

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Place hot cooked foods in chafing dishes, crock pots and warming trays to keep them 140°F or warmer. Place cold foods in bowls of ice to keep them 40°F or colder.

CHILL
Don't let foods sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Promptly refrigerate and store all leftovers in small, shallow containers. Most cooked dishes can keep for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat thoroughly to 165°F so that food is hot and steaming.