September is Food Safety Education Month

Each year in the United States 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur. Of those, more than 325,000 people are hospitalized, and as many as 5,000 people die each year from foodborne illnesses.

The U.S. Government recommends these four easy steps to safeguard yourself and your family against foodborne illnesses:

Clean - Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards before and after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

Separate - Keep raw meat and poultry apart from foods that won't be cooked.

Cook - Use a food thermometer – you can’t tell food is cooked safely by how it looks.

Chill - Chill leftovers and takeout foods within two hours, and keep the fridge at 40° F or below.

You can help to promote food safety by distributing promotional items featuring these four simple steps, or your own food safety message. Crestline carries many kitchen items that are perfect for providing a food safety reminder, including pot holders and oven mitts, sponges, kitchen gadgets, cooking timers, jar poppers, and refrigerator magnets.

For more information, visit the federal food safety Web site.

Image note: Twill Oven Mitt – These oversized oven mitts are made from quilted poly-cotton twill material, in a choice of vivid colors.