September is Food Safety Education Month, and the MOVHD has some tips about cross contamination:
Raw meat, chicken/poultry and seafood can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate.
- When grocery shopping, keep raw meat products away from other foods. Put these items on the bottom level of your grocery cart so any drippage/juices don’t contaminate other foods.
- When bagging groceries, put these items in separate bags from other foods. If using reuseable grocery bags, use a different color bag for raw meat products and wash the bags regularly.
- Raw chicken doesn’t need to be washed. Washing chicken spreads germs to other foods, the sink and the counter and can make you sick.
- Use separate cutting boards or plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread and other foods that won’t be cooked.
- Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood unless you wash the plate with warm, soapy water and dry it first.
- Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, and seafood separate from all other foods in the refrigerator. Store in sealed containers or wrap them securely so the juices don’t leak. Don’t reuse marinades.
The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department has Food Handler and ServSafe classes available for those that will be working in food establishments. Wood County Food Handler class will be Tuesday, Sept. 16 at St. Joseph Landing at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost is $12 for a regional card and $22 for a statewide card. Ritchie County’s Food Handler class will be Thursday, Sept. 18 at its office at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost is $12 and registration must be made by calling 304-643-2917. Its next ServSafe class will be Oct. 16 and 17 at its office. Cost is $210 for book, class and test or $120 for class and test only. Registration is required by Sept. 16 by calling the same number.