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Safety Tips for Handling and Preparing Common Foods

Help Prevent Food Poisoning!

Type of Food Avoid Better Choice
Meat & Poultry Raw or undercooked meat or poultry Meat or poultry cooked to a safe internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to check.
 Seafood
  • Raw or undercooked fish, shellfish, or food containing raw or undercooked seafood, such as sashimi, some sushi, and ceviche.
  • Refrigerated smoked fish
  • Leftover seafood heated to 165°F
  • Canned fish and seafood
  • Seafood cooked to 145°F
 Dairy  Unpasteurized (raw) milk  Pasteurized milk
 Eggs Foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs, such as:
  • Homemade Caesar salad dressing
  • Raw cookie dough
  • Eggnog
Use pasteurized eggs and egg products when preparing recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs.
 Sprouts Raw or undercooked sprouts, such as alfalfa, bean, or any other sprout
  • Cooked sprouts
  • No sprouts
 Vegetables Unwashed fresh vegetables, including lettuce/salads
  • Washed fresh vegetables, including salads
  • Cooked vegetables
 Cheese Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized (raw) milk, such as queso fresco, blue-veined, feta, Brie, and Camembert
  • Soft cheeses that are clearly labeled “made from pasteurized milk”
  • Processed cheeses, cream cheese, mozzarella, hard cheeses
Safety tips for handling and preparing common foods PDF

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