Sacramento, California - I spent an energizing afternoon at Parker Elementary School in Oakland this week, where students took full advantage of a presentation about how to handle, prepare and store food safely and help protect their families from food poisoning.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Al Almanza and I shared the stage with Oakland Athletics rookie Mark Canha, a self-described foodie who takes advantage of his club’s frequent road trips as an opportunity to sample some of the nation’s best eateries.
We were impressed with how engaged these students are when it comes to the science of food safety, from how germs function to how to check internal temperature when we cook meals like meat, fish and poultry.
It all boils down to:
- Clean – wash hands and surfaces often
- Separate – separate raw meats from other foods
- Cook – cook to the right temperature
- Chill – refrigerate food promptly
