Wellness - Food Safety

To round out July, the Wellness Committee has one final safety tip, regarding food safety. We received this information from CIGNA.

Summer is the season for outdoor barbecues and picnics; however, food-related illness can put a damper on those outdoor fests. The CDC estimates that 76 million Americans get sick from food-related illnesses every year. More than 300,000 end up hospitalized and about 5,000 die each year from foodborne illness. Protect yourself and your family and friends in these ways:

Wash produce thoroughly to remove visible dirt dirt and discard the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.

Don't cross-contaminate one food with another. Wash your hands, utensils and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry and before they touch another food.

Cook meat, poultry and seafood thoroughly. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to be sure your grilled meats are "done." Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F and chicen to 165 degrees F.

In hot weather (above 90), food should never sit out for more than 1 hour.

Remember that food poisoning or foodborne illness can take several hours or even days to take effect. Here is some information from the Mayo Clinic regarding causes and symptoms, as well as treatment of foodborne illness.


Finally, the Wellness Committee would like to thank Robyn for her service to the committee, including some really great ideas and lots of energy and dedication to tasks that needed to be done. We will miss Robyn's talents very much and wish her luck in her future endeavors.

CRHC Wellness Committee,
Robyn, Sam, Amanda, Emily and J$