13 things you need to know about food poisoning

Food poisoning can even be downright dangerous. Here’s how you can avoid falling ill.

“There’s a [helpful slogan to use],” says Jeffrey Farber, a food-science professor at the University of Guelph. “Your burger’s done at 71!” (That’s degrees Celsius, to be precise). Home chefs should use a meat thermometer. Follow these 5 food safety tips for proper food handling.

You can get away with cooking it to 63°C. “The process of grinding meat can introduce bacteria from the grinding surface,” says Farber, while more intact cuts only have bacteria on the surface. These are the 49 foods nutritionists won’t touch… so you shouldn’t either.

That’s according to Lawrence Goodridge, the Ian and Jayne Munro chair in food safety at McGill University. “Anything above that and bacteria can potentially grow.” When food is kept between 4°C and 60°C, bacteria may double in as little as 20 minutes.

That even goes for pizza, rice and vegetables. Reheat those meals to 74°C, says Goodridge. Bacteria can grow while food is in the fridge, so don’t eat leftovers cold. These are 10 foods you shouldn’t reheat in a microwave.

You can also thaw it in cold water, says Farber – it maintains a consistent temperature. Here are 35 things food manufacturers won’t tell you.

“If vegetables are contaminated during processing, there’s nothing [you] can do,” Goodridge explains. Rinsing greens doesn’t remove bacteria – only cooking will. Find out the 10 things you shouldn’t eat in an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Homemade playdough, for example, was linked to E. coli outbreaks in 2016 and 2017. Wash your hands thoroughly after playtime to avoid falling ill.

April Hexemer, a manager of the outbreak management division at the Public Health Agency of Canada, points out that birds, reptiles and amphibians can carry salmonella. Wash your hands carefully after feeding and touching these pets or being in their environments. On the other hand, pets can bring health benefits to their owners. Find out what they are.

Campylobacteriosis, one of the most frequently reported foodborne illnesses, produces symptoms anywhere from two to five days after exposure, says Hexemer. Salmonella shows up after one to three days and E. coli infection after one to 10. Do you have food poisoning or something far more sinister? Here are 12 medical conditions that can kill you in 24 hours or less.