Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/23/2015 -- At the start of every year, millions of people set their goals or resolutions focusing on losing weight. What they don't really think about is the safety of the food they are about to consume.
48 million people get ill from food poisoning each year. While most people will only be ill for 1-2 days with slight symptoms, severe food poisoning kills over 3000 Americans each year.
Chef Remi provides five tips to consider before preparing a meal.
Wash hands: Using warm soapy water, scrubbing hands and nails for 30 seconds has the potential to save more lives than any vaccine.
Keep surfaces clean: Non-food items like purses and tote bags carry harmful bacteria so keep them off the countertops. Use hot, soapy water to wash the kitchen surfaces. When prepping raw meat and chicken, use separate chopping boards. Make sure to regularly wipe over the fridge door handle, cooking surfaces and around the sink. Soak the dishcloth for 10 minutes in hot, soapy water, before rinsing out dry.
Thaw out meat and poultry: If the cook has to thaw out meat or poultry, place it at the very bottom of the fridge so it will not drip onto other food.
Storing leftovers: Food should not be left at room temperature for more than 120 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in airtight bags or containers.
Use a cooking thermometer: Don't try to rely on smell or sight to determine if food is ready. The only way to know if harmful bacteria are eliminated is to cook raw food to a safe minimum internal temperature. It's extremely important to check the internal temperature when re-heating food.
For a good quality, reliable food thermometer, check out the award winning Chef Remi digital cooking thermometer.
It's available on Amazon for less than $20.
For more great tips to safely handle food and keep the family safe from food poisoning, Chef Remi recommends that a visit to http://www.homefoodsafety.org
About Home Food Safety
To raise consumer awareness about the seriousness of food poisoning (also referred to as foodborne illness) and to provide solutions for easily and safely handling food in their own kitchens.
For media interviews with Chef Remi, journalist can contact him via chefremi@gmail.com