Is salmonella lurking in your kitchen?

Most people have had food poisoning at some point in their lives. Maybe that hamburger you ate last night was a little too rare or you missed the note that your favorite peanut butter is being recalled. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that one in six people in the US get sick every year from some foodborne illness. Medscape and the CDC took a look at what foods these sneaky bacteria and viruses were lurking in last year. Some of the biggest offenders might surprise you!

Peanut butter lovers beware. Salmonella loves to lurk in raw nuts and nut butters. Because peanut butter has a long shelf life, you may not know you're eating a product that's been recalled. Salmonella has also been found in ground beef, cantaloupe and mangoes. Even your pet isn't in the clear. Dry dog and cat food aren't sterile products and have both been linked to outbreaks of Salmonella. It's suggested that you wash your hands after handling it. But Salmonella isn't the only culprit you need to be thinking about. Outbreaks of norovirus have been found in oysters--which have also had outbreaks of Vibrio, a bacterium which normally lives in seawater--leafy green vegetables, raspberries and strawberries.

Sadly, that's just a sampling of foods linked to recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. A food can be contaminated at any point from when it's made to when it reaches your table. There are a few simple tasks that can keep you safe. Here's how: 

• Clean:  Wash your hands, utensils, cooking surfaces and produce. To avoid contamination clean up after preparing each food item. For produce, be especially mindful of leafy green vegetables. Discard any discolored portions and wash thoroughly under cold running water. A salad spinner can help rid excess water; just make sure to clean it thoroughly between uses.
• Separate: Keep the big offenders-- meat, poultry, seafood and eggs --separate from your other foods both in your grocery cart and your refrigerator; any leaking juices could potentially contaminate other foods. Use separate cutting boards for vegetables and meat and separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods.
• Cook: A meat thermometer is your friend. It's the only reliable way to make sure you've cooked everything to the proper temperature.
• Chill: Refrigerate foods within two hours, less during hot weather. Thaw foods either in the refrigerator or in cold water, not at room temperature. Be mindful of how long foods last.
• Report: If you think you have food poisoning or are concerned a food is contaminated -- report it. The more data the CDC has, the sooner they can find the source of the problem and remedy it.

Common sense and awareness are also means of prevention. Pay attention to food product recalls. The Food and Drug Administration keeps a running list of recalls and has a searchable database. Another helpful resource is FoodSafety.gov, part of the public awareness campaign to decrease foodborne illnesses. For more prevention tactics check out our blog post on the norovirus.