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According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, “most of the roughly 2 million cases of food poisoning that now occur each year are due to improper handling of food in the home.” As consumers, we can play an important part in ensuring the food we select and serve is safe.

Lack of sanitation, improper food storage and insufficient cooking can allow bacteria in food to increase to dangerous levels. So even if food is carefully selected and uncontaminated when purchased, it may no longer be healthy by the time it is served.

A surprising number of home kitchens would not meet the standards that a federal, state or county health inspector uses in checking restaurants and food service facilities. As reported in a recent article by Carole Sugarman of the Washington Post, only one of three home kitchens in that city visited by a health inspector was free of problem areas.

A diversity of living situations--a group house, family and single-person household--were observed during the dinner hour. The unsatisfactory conditions and practices the inspector found included: improper food storage; work areas that needed cleaning; evidence of rodents and insects; cross-contamination, when a cloth used to wipe raw food from the floor was immediately re-used on a cutting board, and failure to wash hands between handling pets and food preparation.

Although these did not necessarily lead to food-borne illness, they point out actions that put people at risk. Most cases of food poisoning in the home result in flu-like symptoms--nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea and fever--but some cause serious illness and even death. Especially vulnerable are pregnant women, infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

It is impossible for us to cover every aspect of food safety, but the following guidelines highlight some of the important points. For additional information, single copies of the Department of Agriculture publication “The Safe Food Book: Your Kitchen Guide” are available at no charge from S. James, Consumer Information Center-K, P.O. Box 100, Pueblo, Colo. 81002

You may also call the Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time for questions concerning these products.

If buying groceries is just one of several errands, the market should be your last stop. Choose the market where you shop not only for convenience but for cleanliness. Refrigerated and frozen-food cases should be in good working order. Produce should look fresh.

Select food in good condition. Never buy swollen or leaking cans. Check “sell by” and “use by” dates, although they aren’t a guarantee of quality--poor handling will shorten shelf life.

Pick up refrigerated and frozen foods just before heading for the checkout counter. Make certain the refrigerated case and items you choose from it are cold; frozen foods should be hard-frozen and show no signs of any previous thawing, such as an ice coating.

Some markets pack refrigerated foods in insulated bags. If yours does not, try to keep refrigerated items together and check them through all at once so they’ll at least get bagged together. If interspersed with room-temperature foods, they warm up more quickly.

Once you purchase groceries, go directly home and store food items properly (see below). If you live more than 30 minutes from the store, consider using an ice chest for protecting refrigerated and frozen foods on the trip home, especially in hot weather.

Perishable foods should be quickly stored in the refrigerator and freezer. The temperature of home refrigerators should be kept below 40 degrees; freezers below 0 degrees. Although these appliances have internal thermostats, a supplemental thermometer provides an added check to ensure that the appliance is working properly.

Most foods may be refrigerated in their original packaging. If, however, the package has been damaged, rewrap food in wax paper, plastic wrap or foil.

Items already frozen in proper packaging just need to be placed in the freezer. Other foods should be wrapped in freezer paper or placed in freezer-strength plastic bags before storing. Date freezer items and use the oldest foods first.

Frozen foods should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator--not at room temperature. If you must thaw foods quickly, place the frozen food in a watertight plastic bag and submerge in cold water. Change the water often until the food has thawed.

If you own a microwave oven, food may also be thawed safely on the defrost cycle, following the manufacturer’s instructions. It should then be cooked immediately.

Pay attention to and heed shelf life dates on food packages. If you find that you cannot use the food within the specified time period, try purchasing it in smaller amounts.

Staples should be stored in a clean, dry place. Do not store any food items near household cleaners, other chemicals, leaky pipes or seeping moisture. Generally speaking, canned foods should be used within one year. Store cereal and grain products in airtight containers or plastic bags.

Finally, controlling household pests is important to food safety.

Personal hygiene and a clean work area go a long way toward ensuring that healthful food remains safe. Keep hands, utensils, equipment and work areas clean by washing with hot, soapy water.

A chlorine solution (follow directions on container of liquid chlorine bleach) is recommended for thorough cleaning of utensils and work surfaces. Do not use this mixture on steel, aluminum, silver or chipped enamel, however, because it can cause discoloration. Follow by a thorough rinse with clean water.

Dishwashers, when used properly, are excellent for reducing harmful bacterial counts on dishes, glassware and utensils. A common mistake, however, is overcrowding the appliance so the contents are not optimally washed.

If you don’t own a dishwasher, dishes, glassware and utensils should be thoroughly washed in hot, sudsy water, then rinsed and scalded with water between 140 and 160 degrees. Begin by washing dishes that are the least soiled and work up to those with the heaviest soil. Air dry or wipe with a freshly laundered dish towel.

Avoid repeated usage of cloths for washing and drying--launder them often. Discard soiled or mildewed sponges.

Particular care needs to be given to wooden cutting boards. They should be cleaned as described above or placed in the dishwasher. This will undoubtedly decrease their life spans but food particles lodged in the cut surfaces are particularly prone to bacterial growth.

Food Preparation

Wash hands, countertops and utensils in hot, soapy water between each step in food preparation. This prevents cross-contamination, the process where bacteria present in raw foods is transferred to cooked products. When grilling foods outdoors, thoroughly wash or use separate plates for the raw and cooked foods.

Keep hot foods above 140 degrees and cold foods below 40 degrees. Marinate foods in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. Add stuffings right before foods are cooked. Cook foods completely at one time; do not interrupt cooking.

Use thermometers to ensure proper cooking of meats. Although many people prefer eating beef rare, it should be noted that cooking it to only 140 degrees means some food-poisoning organisms may survive. Pork should be cooked to 160 degrees; poultry between 180 to 185 degrees.

Leftover food should be thoroughly reheated. Covering the food helps retain moisture and aids in even heating of the food. Gravies should be brought to a rolling boil before serving.

Microwave Cooking

According to the USDA, “ The microwave (oven) can cook food unevenly, creating hot and cold spots, and potential food safety problems.” To ensure thorough cooking, they advise that you:

--Arrange food uniformly in a covered dish. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap to ensure overall heating.

--Turn the dish several times or stir the food during cooking.

--Use a temperature probe or meat thermometer to verify temperature. Test in several different places.

--Observe any designated standing time after microwaving to complete the cooking process.

Serving Food

Food should never be held between 40 and 140 degrees for more than two hours, including the time for preparation and serving. Between these temperatures bacteria grows rapidly and some will produce toxin.

Leftovers should be carefully packaged and refrigerated as soon as the meal is finished. Large quantities of foods should be divided into smaller portions so they cool more quickly and bacteria growth is halted.

For more detailed information on specific foods, please see related story on this page.

One last word of advice. If there is any question about whether food is safe for consumption, we recommend you follow the old adage “When in doubt, throw it out.” With medical costs what they are today, taking a chance could be a lot more costly than the price of the foods.