September is National Food Safety Education Month--Let’s Talk Food Safety!
By Brandy Strub, Dietitian, Veterans Memorial Hospital
Do you know what the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S. is? Per the CDC, it’s the Norovirus. It is responsible for ~1/2 of all outbreaks of food related illness and typically peaks from November to April.
The main symptoms associated with Norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. People are most contagious when they feel sick and during the first few days after they feel better.
Norovirus is a virus that spreads easily by infected people who touch or prepare food when they are sick or sometimes by food that comes from contaminated water, such as seafood.
How can you prevent the Norovirus from spreading?
#1-Stay home when you’re sick and for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop. This is especially important for workers and/or visitors in schools, day cares, healthcare facilities, and other places where they may expose those at higher risk to the virus.
#2-Do not prepare, serve, or touch food for others.
#3-Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before preparing/eating food by using the following technique:
- Wet your hands: Use clean, running water (warm or cold).
- Apply soap: Use generous amount to cover hands and wrists.
- Scrub thoroughly: Rub your hands together vigorously. Don’t forget palms, backs of hands, between fingers, under nails, and wrists.
- Scrub for at least 20 seconds: Hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice.
- Rinse well: Use clean, running water.
- Dry thoroughly: Use a clean towel or air dry.
- Turn off faucet: Use a clean towel to turn it off.
- Open door: Use a clean towel to open it.
#4-Wash your fruits and vegetables and cook your seafood well.
#5-Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Use 5-25 Tbsp of household bleach per gallon of water or other disinfectant registered as effective against norovirus by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), per the CDC.
