Your Food Safety Guide for Avoiding Foodborne Illnesses

August 27, 2025 | Tags: Wellness

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Have you ever eaten something that didn’t agree with you and resulted in unpleasant symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea? If so, a foodborne illness was likely the culprit. Food safety is a shared responsibility, especially when 48 million people become sick from food-related illnesses annually. You can play an important role in preventing the spread of these diseases. 

What is a foodborne illness? 

Foodborne illness is a general term that refers to bacteria, viruses or other toxins that enter your digestive system – usually through contaminated food or water – and present as gastrointestinal issues. This can be the result of food poisoning from causes like Salmonella or E. coli, or viral gastroenteritis – aka the “stomach flu” – from causes like Norovirus. 

Your body reacts to remove these toxins through uncomfortable means, like vomiting or diarrhea, or sometimes both. Other symptoms can include:

• Headache
• Fever 
• Nausea 
• Fatigue  
• Chills or shivering 
• Body aches  
• Stomach pain or cramping 

Infections through foodborne illnesses are very contagious and can quickly spread to others. Symptoms for food poisoning kick in quickly, around two to six hours after exposure, and typically last 12 to 48 hours. Symptoms for the stomach flu occur one to two days after exposure and usually resolve just as quickly. However, you can still be contagious up to two weeks after recovering. 

Four core food safety practices 

Foodborne bacteria can’t be seen, smelled or tasted. Contamination can occur from contact with an infected person, by touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching your mouth, or ingesting contaminated food or water. Practice the following food safety steps to reduce the spread of germs and keep you and others safe:

1. Clean: To prevent bacteria from spreading throughout food preparation areas, wash hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets. Wash surfaces food is prepared on, like cutting boards, utensils and counter tops, with hot water and soap. Scrub fruits and vegetables clean with a brush while rinsing under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds not being eaten. 

2. Separate: Harmful bacteria can spread from handling raw foods. Separate raw items from other groceries in your shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator. Use a separate cutting board for raw meat items and never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw foods. 

3. Cook: To kill off harmful bacteria, foods need to reach a high enough temperature during the cooking process. Use a food thermometer to measure safe internal food temperatures: 

 

For seafood items, check their appearance to ensure items are safely cooked. Shrimp, lobster, crab and scallops should appear pearly or white and opaque while shells like clams, mussels and oysters should open during cooking. 

4. Chill: Cold temperatures slow bacteria growth. Practice the following tips to properly chill raw and cooked foods:

• Refrigerate foods at a constant temperature of 40 F or below and freeze at temperatures below 0 F.  
• Never leave raw meat items and fresh cut fruits and vegetables at room temperature for more than two hours or one hour when the surrounding temperature is above 90 F. 
• Always thaw food in the refrigerator, microwave or cold water. 
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for faster cooling. 
• Check expiration dates and use or discard food on a regular basis, especially if there are signs of mold or an unusual odor, color or texture. 

If you experience a foodborne illness 

Most cases can be treated in the comfort of your home as your immune system will do the work to rid your body of bacteria. Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated with sports drinks or oral hydration formulas to balance your electrolytes and prevent dehydration. Call your healthcare provider if you experience: 

• Vomiting or diarrhea that lasts several days with no improvement. 
• Fever of 102 F (38.9 C) or higher that lasts several days. 
• Bloody diarrhea or bloody vomit. 
• Blurred vision. 
• Severe dehydration, including decreased urination, dry mouth and throat, and dizziness when standing up. 

If you don’t have a primary care provider, Medical Mutual can help. Use our Find a Provider tool on My Health Plan to find one in your plan’s network or call the Customer Care number listed on your member ID card.