DPH Provides Fourth of July Food and Pet Safety Tips

DOVER – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) recommends that residents take steps to keep family, friends, and pets safe during Fourth of July gatherings.

Prevent foodborne illness:
As temperatures rise, so do your chances of contracting a foodborne illness if you do not properly handle and sanitize your food. Be mindful of keeping food out in the hot sun too long and follow the proper procedures for cooking meats and poultry. When bringing food to a picnic or cookout:

• Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.

• Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry, and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta, potato or seafood); cut up vegetables and fruits, especially melons; and perishable dairy products.

• A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.

• Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that your food stays colder longer. When hosting an outdoor event.

• Before cooking, keep meats and eggs in a container under 40 degrees F, keeping ice for beverages in a separate container.

• Refrigerate cold foods until they’re ready to be served, keeping them on ice once they are out in the open.

• Have a food thermometer on hand so you can be sure you are cooking meats to their required temperature.

• Burgers and sausage should be cooked to 160 degrees F; chicken and turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees F; and steaks should be cooked to 145 degrees F with a three-minute rest time.

• Food should not be left out longer than two hours (one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F).

For more food safety tips, visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/foodsafety.html or Foodsafety.gov.

Protect your pets from fireworks and loud noises:
The DPH Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) advises pet owners to be aware that fireworks cause many pets to run away, and that holiday foods and heat can be harmful to our four-legged family members. The following tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association can help keep pets are safe from harm during Independence Day celebrations:

• If your pet is sensitive to noises like fireworks or thunder, consult your veterinarian for recommendations on how to ease anxiety caused by fireworks and loud parties. Anxiety medications and treats, “thunder” shirts and behavioral training are all tools to help keep pets calm.

• Leave pets at home if attending gatherings elsewhere. In addition to fireworks, strange places and crowds can spook an animal and cause them to flee. Utilize a crate or escape-proof area of the home during parties and fireworks.

• Those who expect guests during the holiday, or any celebration, should inform their company to be mindful of pets when entering or exiting a home or yard to avoid accidental escapes. Place signs on doors and gates that alert guests to be vigilant about pets.

• Tell guests to refrain from sharing food meant for people as these can upset your pets’ stomach, or worse. After any in-home celebrations, check yards for food scraps and fireworks debris that animals may ingest.

• Make sure sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal and skewers are out of reach from your pets.

• Stay vigilant about times when pets are outdoors. Pets are safest inside on hot and humid days. If they must be outside, ensure they have access to fresh water and secondary shade apart from dog and cat enclosures, which can become dangerously hot inside.

• Make sure your pets have identification tags with current owner contact information. Have your pet microchipped, if they aren’t already. A microchip is an affordable device with owner information to ensure pets can return home if they get out and are found by someone else. Make sure the microchip is registered with up-to-date owner contact information.

• If a pet does escape, post its photo and identifying information on the Office of Animal Welfare’s statewide Lost & Found Pet Registry, at animalservices.delaware.gov. Review found pet notices there as well. Your pet may have been found by a neighbor or taken to a local animal shelter.

 

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.


Don’t Get Sick from Your Holiday Picnic

4th of July Food SafetyDOVER — Summer months mean picnics, days at the beach, camping, and road trips. But as temperatures continue to rise, so do your chances of contracting a foodborne illness if you do not properly handle and sanitize your food. The Division of Public (DPH) Health Office of Food Protection encourages Delawareans to be mindful of keeping food out in the hot sun too long and knowing the proper procedures for cooking meats and poultry.

Due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, foodborne illnesses increase during the summer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six Americans are stricken with food poisoning each year and there are 128,000 cases of foodborne illnesses that require hospitalization.

“Washing and sanitizing your hands and the surfaces where you prepare food are just the start of the precautions you should be taking,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “To properly protect against foodborne illnesses it is also important to separate plates and utensils used for raw and cooked meat, keep raw foods chilled at all times, wash produce before cutting or cooking it, even if you plan to peel them and cook foods to their proper temperatures, among other key steps.”

Stay healthy and safe during warmer months by following these food safety recommendations from DPH:

When bringing food to a picnic or cookout:

  • Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.
  • Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry, and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta, potato or seafood); cut up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.
  • A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.
  • Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that your food stays colder longer.

When hosting an outdoor event:

  • Before cooking, keep meats and eggs in a container under 40 degrees F, keeping ice for beverages in a separate container.
  • Refrigerate cold foods until they’re ready to be served, keeping them on ice once they are out in the open.
  • Have a food thermometer on hand so you can be sure you are cooking meats to their required temperature.
  • Burgers and sausage should be cooked to 160 degrees F; chicken and turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees F; and steaks should be cooked to 145 degrees F with a three-minute rest time.
  • Food should not be left out longer than two hours (one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F).

“Summer is a perfect time to try new recipes, cook and eat outdoors, and enjoy family time,” said Department of Health and Social Services Cabinet Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker. “Just remember to be smart and safe with your food preparations. A few precautions can prevent a potentially serious illness.”

For more food safety tips, visit:

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.


A Safer Meal: The Importance of Food Protection Managers

DOVER, DE – A national study, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that restaurants with Certified Food Protection Managers (CFPMs) had fewer of most types of food safety violations. Such food managers receive special training and are responsible for monitoring and managing all food establishment operations. The CFPM must also be knowledgeable about foodborne illness symptoms, how to minimize risk factors, and how make corrective actions if necessary.

Requiring CFPMs is a proactive way to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks in public eating establishments. According to the CDC, each year one in six Americans gets food poisoning likely caused by unsafe food practices either in the home, work, school, health-care facility, food packing facility or restaurant.

The Delaware Food Code requires food establishments to have a Person-in-Charge (PIC) at the time of inspection, who is a CFPM. Because inspections in Delaware are unannounced, the food manager is required to be on duty at all times. Risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness can be minimized through training and active managerial control. A study published in Environmental Health Insights magazine suggests that restaurants with trained and certified food managers had significantly fewer critical food safety violations.

The Delaware Restaurant Association (DRA), in collaboration with the Division of Public Health (DPH), will be conducting a survey to identify the rate of food establishments complying with Certified Food Protection Manager requirements. The findings will ensure that DPH and DRA can identify those types of food establishments that require more education and outreach as it pertains to the CFPM requirements.

Certification of kitchen managers may affect foodborne illness risk factors in many ways, including better management and better on-the-job training according EHS-Net’s study and recommendations, which can be found here.

According to the DRA, challenges faced by restaurants that are trying to reduce the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks include high employee turnover and a labor force comprised of inadequately-trained employees. Employees should have an understanding of the food handling and preparation practices and should follow those practices to mitigate risk factors. CFPMs play an important role in communicating information to food workers about the best practices to reduce foodborne illnesses and should be able to effectively convey information to employees who are not certified in food safety.

DPH staff throughout Delaware work to protect consumers and monitor compliance of food establishments with the Delaware Food Code. DPH accomplishes its food safety mission through the permitting and inspecting of restaurants, mobile units, and other food establishments; educating owners, managers, and employees on food safety issues in their establishments; informing consumers on food safety; and holding activities to increase food safety in Delaware establishments.

You can access more information on the Delaware Food Code online or call 302-744-4546.

For a listing of all the CFPM courses accepted by DPH, visit the DPH website here. For a list of courses offered by the Delaware Restaurant Association, visit http://www.delawarerestaurant.org/calendar/ for a list of course dates and times or contact the DRA at 866-DRA-2545 to schedule training.

The Delaware Restaurant Association is the state trade association dedicated to promoting, protecting, and educating Delaware’s food service industry. Delaware’s 2,000 restaurants employ 50,000 people with an economic impact of over $2 billion in annual sales. Delaware Restaurants are the largest small business employer in the state and the largest component of Delaware’s tourism industry.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.