Food safety myths -- how much do you really know?

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

If a food tastes OK, it's safe to eat.

Disagree. Don't rely on your sense of taste, smell or sight to tell you if a food is safe to eat. Bacteria that cause illness usually leave no evidence they are in the food -- you can't see them, smell them or taste them.Even a tiny taste may not protect you because as few as 10 bacteria, such as E. coli, could cause a serious foodborne illness.

We have all seen food that has obviously spoiled. It has a strange odor, an unusual appearance or an off taste. These changes are caused by food spoilage bacteria. If you accidentally eat spoiled food, it usually will not make you sick.

If you get sick from eating a food, it was from the last food you ate.

Disagree. Onset periods after consumption of the contaminated food will vary according to the type of pathogen. It can take up to six weeks to become sick from unsafe foods. You usually feel OK immediately after eating and become sick later. Toxins, on the other hand, such as the toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus (staph), can produce a sudden onset of nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps within one-half hour of consuming the contaminated food.

The worst that could happen to me with a food-borne illness is an upset stomach.

Disagree. The symptoms of food-borne illness can be severe, including diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and fever. Most cases clear up within a day or two without medical care. However some micro-organisms, such as Listeria monocytogenes, E.coli O157:H7 and Clostridium botulinum, cause far more serious illness than vomiting or diarrhea. They can cause spontaneous abortion, kidney failure or death.

See a doctor if you have any of these symptoms: bloody diarrhea, faintness, rapid heart rate or dizziness after sitting or standing up suddenly when accompanied by nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. These are the signs of dehydration that can lead to kidney failure.

Weakness numbness or tingling usually in the arms or legs. It could be a sign of botulism or food poisoning from tainted seafood.

People never used to get sick from their food.

Disagree. Many incidents of food-borne illness went undetected in the past. Because the symptoms of food-borne illness are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, it has been and still is blamed on the flu.

If you let a food sit out more than two hours, you can make it safe by heating it really hot.

Disagree. Some bacteria survive the cooking process by forming a spore. Then when left at room temperature or warmer, the bacteria may grow and produce a toxin. Some bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (staph), produce toxins that are not destroyed by high cooking temperatures. In this case, heating your food really hot would not protect you.

Always refrigerate high protein foods (meats, eggs, milk products) and cooked grain foods (noodles, rice, pasta) and even cut fruits and vegetables within two hours of cooking and serving. On a hot day (85 degrees F or higher), food should not sit out for more than one hour.

If a hamburger is brown in the middle, it is cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Disagree. Only one out of four hamburgers turns brown before it has been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Research shows some ground beef patties look done at internal temperatures as low as 135 degrees F. The ONLY way to know food has been cooked to a safe internal temperature is to use a food thermometer.

Meat and poultry should be washed before cooking.

Disagree. Washing is NOT necessary or recommended. Washing increases the danger of spreading bacteria present on the surface of meat and poultry to ready-to-eat foods, kitchen utensils and counter surfaces. Cooking meat and poultry to the recommended internal temperature will make them safe to eat. Observe USDA's recommendations for safe minimum internal temperatures. Cook steaks, roasts and fish to 145 degrees F; pork, ground beef and egg dishes to160 degrees F; chicken breasts and whole poultry to 165 degrees F.

Follow these four basic food safety rules: cleanliness -- wash hands and surfaces often; chill potentially hazardous foods within two hours; cook foods to proper temperatures and separate raw meats and eggs from foods that will not be cooked. When in doubt, toss it out.

For information on safe food storage, handling, preparation and product dating, call USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or send e-mail to mphotline.fsis@usda.gov.

* Sheila Ryan is an agent for family and consumer science with the Yakima County office of Washington State University Cooperative Extension. For answers to food safety or food preservation questions, call the Master Food Preservers at 509-574-1600.