10 Essential Food Safety Tips For AIDS Sufferers

Persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) areespecially susceptible to illness from food-borne pathogens.Because they're at higher risk for severe illness or death,affected persons must be vigilant when handling and cookingfoods. Here are some recommendations to help preventbacterial food-borne illness.

1. When shopping for raw and cooked perishable foods, besure the food is being stored at a safe temperature in thestore. Don't select perishable food from a non-refrigeratedaisle display. Never choose packages which are torn orleaking.

2. When ordering food from the deli department, be sure theclerk washes his hands between handling raw and cooked itemsor puts on new plastic gloves. Don't buy cooked ready-to-eatitems which are touching raw items or are displayed in thesame case.

3. Don't buy cans that are dented, leaking, or bulging; foodin cracked glass jars; or food in torn packaging. Tamper-resistant safety seals should be intact. Safety buttons onmetal lids should be down and should not move or make aclicking noise when pushed. Do not use any product beyondits expiration date!

4. Immediately refrigerate or freeze perishable foods aftertransporting them home. Make sure thawing juices from meatand poultry do not drip on other foods. Leave eggs in theircarton for storage and don't place them in the door of therefrigerator. Keep the refrigerator clean.

5. Food stored constantly at 0° F will always be safe. Onlythe quality suffers with lengthy storage. It's of no concernif a product date expires while the product is frozen.Freezing keeps food safe by preventing the growth of micro-organisms that cause both food spoilage and food-borneillness. Once thawed, however, these microbes can againbecome active so handle thawed items as any perishable food.

6. Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in acool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under thesink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed tohigh or low temperature extremes.

7. Wash hands, utensils, can openers, cutting boards, andcountertops in hot, soapy water before and after coming incontact with raw meat, poultry, or fish.

8. Many cases of food-borne illness are caused by take-out,restaurant, and deli-prepared foods. Avoid the same foodswhen eating out as you would at home. Meat, poultry, andfish should be ordered well done; if the food arrivesundercooked, it should be sent back.

9. Wash cutting boards with hot, soapy water after each use;then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels.Non-porous acrylic, plastic, or glass boards and solid woodboards can be washed in an automatic dishwasher (laminatedboards may crack and split).

10. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, oreggs. For people with AIDS, the most important thing is touse a meat thermometer to be sure meat, fish, eggs, andcasseroles reach at least 160 °F. Roast whole poultry to180 °F; poultry breasts to 170 °F. When reheating foods inthe microwave, cover and rotate or stir foods once or twiceduring cooking and check the food in several spots with athermometer.

Terry Nicholls
My Home-Based Business Advisor
www.my-home-based-business-advisor.com

Copyright © by Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Terry Nicholls is the author of the eBook "Food Safety: Protecting Your Family From Food Poisoning". In addition, he writes from his own experiences in trying to start his own home-based business. To benefit from his success, visit My Home-Based Business Advisor - Helping YOUR Home Business Start and Succeed for free help for YOUR home business, including ideas, startup, and expansion advice.