Preventing Toxoplasmosis
Minimizing Your Risk
Wash your hands
- Wash hands after using the bathroom and changing diapers, and before
handling or eating any food.
- Always wash hands after contact with farm animals, pets, animal feces,
and animal environments.
- Hand Hygiene
Wash Your Hands!
Keep your food preparation areas clean
- Keep raw meat separate from produce and other foods when shopping
for and storing groceries.
- Wash hands, cutting boards, countertops, cutlery, and utensils after
handling uncooked meat.
- Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating.
- Cross-Contamination
Food and kitchen tools and surfaces may become contaminated from raw food products.
Cook and store your food at the appropriate
temperatures
- Freeze meat for several days before cooking to inactivate the parasite
and reduce the likelihood of infection.
- Thoroughly cook raw meat and poultry. Cook all meat to an internal
temperature of 160° F and until it is no longer pink in the center
or until the juices become clear.
- Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked.
- Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked.
- Storage
and Cooking Temperatures
Learn more about storage and cooking temperatures
- Defrost food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave.
Food should be stored in a refrigerator that is 40°F or cooler or
a freezer that is 0°F or cooler.
Be careful when dealing with animals
- Always wash hands after contact with farm animals, pets, animal feces,
and animal environments.
Use caution when gardening
- Wear gloves when you garden or do anything outdoors that involves
handling soil.
- Wash your hands well with soap and water after outdoor activities,
especially before you eat or prepare any food.
Additional Information If You are Pregnant or Have a Weakened Immune System
- Avoid changing the cat litter box yourself; let someone else do it.
- If you have to change it, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands
with soap and water afterwards.
- Change the litter box daily because the parasite is not infectious
until 1-5 days after it is shed in the feces.
- Help prevent your cat from becoming infected by keeping it indoors
and feeding it only canned or dry cat food.
- Do not feed your cat raw meat.
Avoid stray cats and kittens and cover your outdoor sandboxes.
- Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
Do you suspect that you have a foodborne or waterborne illness? Visit reporting suspected foodborne/waterborne illnesses.
