According to the Center for Disease Control, one in six Americans get food poisoning each year and leafy vegetables are usually the source. With fresh produce needed to fulfill half of our dietary needs, students need to be safe when eating, preparing and storing food.

“Vegetables cause the most foodborne illnesses because they need to be temperature-controlled for safety; when cooked, they need to stay hot and cold when raw,” said Jill Weber, nutrition and health program specialist.

Vegetables are not the only culprit. Many other foods can make you sick if they are not carefully managed.

“Foods like produce, meat, dairy and mixed foods like casseroles are more susceptible to foodborne illness,” Weber said. “This is because of the temperature control, storage and sanitation needs.”

To stay healthy and avoid foodborne illnesses students should monitor the food they eat, prepare, cook and store.

“When buying produce at the store, be sure you look at the expiration date but also be aware of the quality,” Weber said.

Students also have to keep in mind that not all produce is ready to go from purchase to consumption.

“When buying produce to eat at home, make sure you check the label for ‘ready to eat’ to know whether you should make sure you wash it beforehand,” Weber said. “However, it is always good to wash all produce before you eat it raw.”

In making sure food is safe, it is all about hygiene and sanitation, Weber stated.

“When preparing food it is most important to wash hands, wear clean clothes, be aware of the time food is at room temperature, and [have] a clean and sanitized work area,” Weber said.

This is a practice not strictly applied to places like ISU Dining that serve food to the masses.

“[At the dining hall] they have us wash our hands for 30 seconds and put gloves on before dealing with food,” said Emily Zapotocny, freshman in pre-business, who is currently employed at Union Drive Community Center. “We also have to have our hair back under a hat.”

Weber explained that the goal of sanitation is to prevent cross-contamination of foods.

“Prevent cross-contamination by washing the area [where] you are preparing food when you switch over from cutting produce to meat,” Weber said. “If the juices from raw meat come in contact with produce that is to be eaten raw, bacteria can be formed.”

Employees of the dining centers have to be fully informed on the process of food preparation, Zapotocny said.

“I sat through a five-hour seminar and took multiple quizzes on food prep,” Zapotocny explained.

Instead of browsing the Internet in search for the correct food temperatures needed, the ISU SafeFood app brings all the information to one place.

“When cooking meats at home, students should have a thermometer handy to make sure meats are cooked to a safe temperature,” Weber said.

Weber explained that foodborne illnesses can be developed in food preparation and cooking, but also in storing.

“The fridges need to be at proper food storage temperature; at least 40 degrees,” Weber said. “When storing food from the dining centers, make sure you bring it back to be refrigerated within two hours.”

Weber suggests having an organized fridge to help with keeping foods at an edible state without harm.

“A clear container is a good way to remind students of what food is in there and to see its condition,” Weber said. “Dating your container is a good way to keep track of how many days it has been stored.”

Students may not realize how fast leftovers spoil and become unsafe to eat.

“In my class, we teach the four-day throw away rule,” Weber said.

The four day throw away rule is the new standard for leftover storage.  

“I think the most important aspect is keeping the food at its proper temperature,” Zapotocny said.