Food Safety Basics: Preventing Foodborne Illness
Keeping Food Safe At Home
There is a lot you can do to handle and prepare your food safely. Learn what you can do to prepare, serve and store food safely.
- Clean & Separate
Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, counter tops and food.
Hand Hygiene | Cross Contamination | Don't Prepare Food If You are Ill
- Cook & Chill
Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria.
Temperatures | Thermometers | Grilling and BBQ Safety | Slow Cooker Safety
- Storing & Preserving
Tips for food preservation and storing food properly.
Home Canning | Cold Storage | Shelf Storage
Spotlight
Reporting Suspected Foodborne Illness
Please call the Minnesota Department of Health if you suspect you have a foodborne or waterborne illness. MDH will relay the necessary information to the appropriate local health authorities.
Turkey: Safe Thawing and Cooking
Food safety tips for handling, thawing, roasting, storing, and reheating turkey.
Norovirus Infection
Noroviruses are members of a group of viruses called caliciviruses also known previously as “Norwalk-like viruses.” Learn more about Norovirus, how to minimize your risk of acquiring norovirus infection, required reporting information, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment and more.
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