A man grills hamburgers and sausages in Decatur, Ga. (Photo: Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY) 
 
 Doug Powell doesn't bring wine when he's invited to dinner. 
 
 He brings a food thermometer. 
 
 As a food safety scientist and creator of barfblog.com, Powell knows way too much about the dangers of undercooked meat to take chances on the barbecue. 
 
 So he brings a food thermometer to every summer cookout. "I don't get invited to dinner much," he says. 
 
 With the Fourth of July approaching, Powell and other food safety experts talked to USA TODAY about ways to make sure people leave their summer barbecues as healthy as they arrived. 
 
 Pork loin with raspberry chipotle glaze is smoked on a grill in this May 27, 2007, photo. (Photo: Larry Crowe, AP) 
 
 • Always use a meat thermometer, Powell says. With practice, people can learn to stick them in burgers without slicing the patties in half. "Pick the meat up with tongs and insert the thermometer sideways, or through the top," Powell suggests. Beef hamburgers should reach 160 degrees to kill germs, says Benjamin Chapman, assistant professor of food safety at North Carolina State University and a food safety specialist at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Temperature matters far more than color when it comes to meat, Chapman says; even thoroughly browned burgers can harbor bugs. "I was not a popular person at a family cookout a few years back when I insisted we 'temp' the chicken as we grilled in the rain," says Donald Schaffner, a professor and extension specialist at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "But nobody got sick." 
 
 A produce manager holds a cut cantaloupe at a Denver supermarket on Friday, July 13, 2012. (Photo: Ed Andrieski, AP) 
 
 • Slice your own cantaloupes. Although cantaloupes are loaded with vitamins, they've also caused some of the biggest outbreaks of food-borne illness in recent years. More than 260 people were sickened in a salmonella outbreak in 2012; nearly 100 were hospitalized and three died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cantaloupes spread disease more easily than watermelon or honeydew because their soft, bumpy skins soak up bacteria like a sponge, Powell says. Washing doesn't help, and cutting through the outer rind allows bacteria to infect the edible portion of the melon. While people don't have to stop eating cantaloupes, they should keep sliced portions refrigerated, because cold temperatures slow bacterial growth. But stores are asking for trouble when they slice melons in half, wrap them in plastic and leave them at room temperature in the produce aisle, Powell says: "This is microbiological disaster waiting to happen." 
 
 • Use a cooler — for cantaloupe, potato salad or other picnic foods. "Bacteria will grow if left out at warm temperatures long enough," Powell says. 
 
 • But don't be afraid of mayonnaise. The egg-based spread has gotten a bad rap, and some people have been afraid to take it on summer picnics. But "commercial mayo uses pasteurized eggs and has high levels of vinegar," whose acid content helps control bacteria, Powell says. Homemade mayo, on the other hand, could be riskier. 
 
 Commercially prepared mayonnaise used in potato salad carries little health risk. (Photo: Renee Comet) 
 
 • Don't wash poultry and other meat. "It just spreads bugs," Powell says. 
 
 So are there any foods these three food experts won't touch? 
 
 • Sprouts. Seeds and beans need warm, humid conditions to sprout and grow. So do bacteria, such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli. Raw or lightly cooked sprouts have caused at least 30 reported outbreaks of food-borne illness since 1996, according to FoodSafety.gov. Home-grown sprouts are no safer, because the bacteria can be found in the seeds themselves. So no matter how clean your house, bacteria can grow to dangerous levels. "Some providers test seed and provide sufficient controls, but consumers have no way of knowing which sprouts are good or not," Powell says. 
 
 In this June 5, 2011 file picture bean sprouts are photographed in Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Gero Breloer, AP) 
 
 • Raw shellfish. Even a fancy dish such as raw oysters, served in high-end restaurants, can pose a huge risk, Powell says, because they can be exposed to raw waste while under water. "The bacteria Vibrio found on raw oysters produces a toxin that attacks vulnerable livers," Powell says. "Raw shellfish is risky." 
 
 In this Monday, Sept. 12, 2013 file photo, an oyster cultivator holds oyster seed before spreading it into the waters of Duxbury Bay in Duxbury, Mass. (Photo: Stephan Savoia, AP) 
 
 • Raw milk. Some advocates of unpasteurized milk say it's healthier because it contains natural microorganisms that strengthen the immune system. Unfortunately, raw milk also can also contain dangerous bacteria, including salmonella, listeria, campylobacter and brucella, according to the CDC. Younger children, old people and those with weak immune systems are most at risk. "Getting sick from raw milk can mean many days of diarrhea, stomach cramping, and vomiting," the CDC says. "Less commonly, it can mean kidney failure, paralysis, chronic disorders and even death." 
 
 By selling shares in his Jerseys, Brian Harville produces raw milk for his customers at his Wilson County dairy farm in Tennessee. (Photo: Larry McCormack, Gannett) 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1lJsDgY ||||| Cutting boards should not have hard-to-clean nicks and groove; wood boards are better. 
 
 When preparing food at home, do you: Clean sponges with soap to kill bacteria after wiping up drippings on countertops? Cover Tupperware containers when cooling hot food in the fridge? Rinse chicken in the sink? 
 
 All not good. 
 
 "Washing a sponge with soap doesn't get rid of bacteria," said microbiologist Michael Doyle, director of the University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety. They grow at room temperature and get spread around anything else you wipe off. 
 
 "Put the sponge in a microwave for one minute to kill the salmonella and other bacteria," he said. 
 
 Overall, keeping your family safe from home-grown food-borne illness is not that different from what restaurants must do. Though restaurants serve more people and may get blamed - fairly or unfairly - for illness, experts say most home kitchens are far dirtier. 
 
 That's not surprising, because restaurateurs must pass surprise inspections based on hundreds of pages of regulations, including a requirement to have an employee trained and certified in food safety on the premises at all times. 
 
 Cross-contamination may be the biggest cause of food-borne illness at home. That's why raw meat should never be placed on a refrigerator shelf above salads; it could drip. 
 
 After washing your hands, dry them with a paper towel or a cloth that is not used for anything else. Cutting boards should not have hard-to-clean nicks and grooves (wood is better, Doyle said, because the resin has antibacterial properties). 
 
 Washing chicken in the sink may sound hygienic but actually poses all sorts of risks. It can splash on counters, dry dishes, your arms. The sink and anything in it is obviously contaminated. So is the drain. 
 
 "You would think that because the drain is a downward flow of water that shouldn't be an issue," said Craig Hedberg, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. "But lots of things can happen. Every time you run your disposal in the sink you are generating a little airflow back up." 
 
 If you do wash chicken in the sink, clean it (the sink) with bleach (1 ounce in 1 gallon of water). 
 
 Temperature is another big risk area in home kitchens. Use a food thermometer to ensure sufficient cooking, each for 15 seconds: fish, meat, and raw eggs to be eaten immediately (145 degrees); ground meat and fish (155 degrees); and poultry, wild game, and raw eggs to be held (165 degrees). 
 
 Cooling them properly for later use is often overlooked. 
 
 "If you take this big mass of hot food and put it into a plastic container and put a lid on it, you are holding the heat in and slowing the cooling process, even if you put it in the refrigerator," Hedberg said. "You want to get it out of bacterial-growth range" - 40 to 140 degrees - "within a couple of hours." Pouring it into containers no more than four inches deep speeds the process. 
 
 If food is not cooled fast enough, spores that survived cooking can germinate and grow bacteria. Reheating leftovers to 165 degrees for 15 seconds will kill them. 
 
 Food-safety experts can tick off many unpleasant surprises. Listeria can grow in soft cheeses even when properly refrigerated; they should be tossed after a week. 
 
 And Hedberg advises against washing prewashed bagged lettuce; E. coli and salmonella can adhere to cut surfaces and tiny pores. 
 
 "If it's contaminated, your washing it again would not eliminate the contamination," he said. "If it is not contaminated, your washing may contaminate it." 
 
 Some more key points: 
 
 Hands should be washed vigorously with soap before preparing food or eating; after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, or even raw produce; and after smoking, eating, or drinking. 
 
 Countertops, cutting boards, utensils, etc., should be cleaned with hot water after every use. 
 
 Cooking and holding temperatures should be checked, which means having working thermometers. (The fridge should be set between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit; the freezer, at zero or below). 
 
 Everything should be clean: Garbage covered, or at least three feet from food-preparation areas; pets never allowed in the kitchen (and hands washed after petting). 
 
 To bring home cooks up to speed, the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension posts a quick home kitchen food safety best practices check-Up list: http://bit.ly/1xDO19F. 
 
 For those who take their food safety more seriously, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health posts a more detailed home kitchen self inspection. Borrowing an idea from the county's restaurant inspection program, it gives a letter grade (I got a C). Go to: http://1.usa.gov/15fPjzz. 
 
 dsapatkin@phillynews.com 
 
 215-854-2617 @DonSapatkin ||||| Media Advisory: CDC releases first estimates of the food sources of all foodborne illnesses acquired in the United States 
 
 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 . Table 4 provides researchers access to estimated percentages of foodborne illnesses caused by each pathogen that were attributed to each food commodity, by etiology. 
 
 Each year, roughly 48 million people (1 in 6) get sick from food eaten in the United States. Although major pathogens account for more than 9 million of these sicknesses, linking individual illnesses to a particular food is rarely possible except during an outbreak. 
 
 This study provided a comprehensive set of estimates of how much foodborne illness is accounted for by each of 17 food categories, called â€œcommoditiesâ€? in the paper. These are our most comprehensive estimates available to answer the question: which foods make us ill? 
 
 What is this study about? 
 
 This study addresses the important question: Which foods make us ill? 
 
 For the first time, CDC developed a comprehensive set of estimates of the food sources of all foodborne illnesses acquired in the United States. The paper provides a historical baseline of estimates that will be further refined over time with more data and improved methods. 
 
 It builds on the estimates of foodborne illness published in 2011 that told us that about 48 million people (1 in 6) get sick each year from food. More than 9 million of these illnesses are caused by major pathogens [1 page] CDC tracks. 
 
 The paper focuses on known causes of illness and uses data from nearly 4600 outbreaks to estimate the number of illnesses attributed to each of 17 food categories (called â€œcommoditiesâ€? in the paper). This is the first time CDC has attempted such a comprehensive set of estimates. 
 
 Why is this paper is important? 
 
 This study offers the most comprehensive look to date in attributing illness to specific food commodities based on outbreak data, including those where complex foods (that is, foods that have ingredients from several food categories) were implicated in outbreaks. 
 
 These findings underscore roles of industry and government that help keep food safe. These attribution estimates are important because they can help regulatory agencies and industry target prevention efforts that will improve the safety of the foods that we need and that we love to eat. 
 
 We developed a method of attributing illnesses to specific food groups based on a decade of outbreak data, including those that implicate complex foods (that is, foods that have ingredients from several food categories.) Figure A. 
 
 Among all types of foods, produce accounted for nearly half of illnesses, which were most often caused by norovirus. However, the CDC emphasizes that a healthy and safe diet that is high in fruits and vegetables is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The most common food sources of fatal infections were meat and poultry, much due to Salmonella and Listeria. Figure B 
 
 What did the study show? 
 
 The estimates used 4,589 foodborne disease outbreaks reported over the 11 year span from 1998 to 2008. Both the contaminant and the specific food causing the outbreak was reported. 
 
 This included outbreaks linked to a food belonging to a single food category (a â€œsimpleâ€? food) as well those linked to foods made from more than one food category (a â€œcomplexâ€? food). Figure C 
 
 Figure C Foodborne Disease Outbreaks by Type of Food Implicated,1998-2008 
 
 Half of outbreak investigations with a known food implicate a complex food. Because complex foods have ingredients from more than one food category, they do not fit into the 17 food categories and have not been included in previous analyses. Figure C 
 
 Illness was attributed to all the 17 different food categories. The proportion accounted for by each category varied. 
 
 Figure B shows the contributions of different food commodities (categories) to estimated illnesses and deaths. 
 
 shows the contributions of different food commodities (categories) to estimated illnesses and deaths. Figure D shows the main groupings of food categories. 
 
 shows the main groupings of food categories. Figure E gives examples of foods in categories. 
 
 Produce (a combination of six plant food categories [Fruits-Nuts, Fungi vegetables, Leafy vegetables, Root vegetables, Sprout vegetables, Vine-Stalk vegetables]) accounted for nearly half of illnesses (46%). Figure E provides examples of foods in these groups. 
 
 Among the individual food categories, leafy vegetables accounted for the most illnesses. Many of those illnesses (46%) were caused by norovirus. 
 
 Meat and poultry (a combination of four animal food categories[Beef, Game, Pork, and Poultry) accounted for fewer illnesses, but for 29% of deaths. Figure E provides examples of foods in these groups. 
 
 Poultry accounted for the most deaths (19%) ; many of those were caused by Listeria and Salmonella infections. 
 
 ; many of those were caused by Listeria and Salmonella infections. This is partly due to three large Listeria outbreaks linked to sliced processed turkey that occurred in the last decade, though fewer have occurred in recent years. 
 
 Your findings attribute many illnesses from produce to norovirus. Do you know how food became contaminated with norovirus? 
 
 This paper does not address where contamination of food occurs along the food production chain. A recent CDC study on â€œEpidemiology of Foodborne Norovirus Outbreaks, United States, 2001-2008â€? looked at this issue in relation to norovirus. Here are some of the main findings about the food sources from norovirus: 
 
 Sick food handlers specifically caused 53 percent of the foodborne norovirus outbreaks by contaminating food and may have contributed to another 29 percent of the outbreaks. Over 80 percent of outbreaks involved food prepared in commercial settings, such as restaurants, delis, or catering businesses. 
 
 Among the 364 outbreaks that involved a single contaminated food, over half were produce, primarily leafy vegetables or fruits. These foods, which are commonly eaten raw, were most often contaminated during preparation or service by a sick food handler. A few outbreaks were caused by produce that was contaminated during production or processing. Mollusks, such as oysters, were also often involved in outbreaks due to contamination during production. 
 
 What are the advantages of using outbreak data to estimate the sources of foodborne illnesses? 
 
 Outbreak investigations definitively link illnesses to particular foods and pathogens 
 
 Outbreaks are caused by a wide range of agents, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, and other chemicals so they provide good coverage of foodborne agents 
 
 Outbreak investigations capture data on common and uncommon pathogens, and on common and uncommon foods 
 
 CDC has a very good outbreak database, Foodborne Outbreak Online Database (FOOD) 
 
 What are some of the limitations of the study? 
 
 Estimates were not made for pathogens that did not cause outbreaks. Toxoplasma and Vibrio vulnificus did not cause outbreaks but have high fatality rates. Adding these might result in meat and mollusks (e.g., oysters, clams) being more important source of deaths than is indicated in the study. 
 
 The study used data from an 11-year period and did not account for changes over this period. A shorter, more recent period is desirable when major implicated commodities have changed. For example, Listeria outbreaks caused by contamination of ready-to-eat meats markedly decreased after 2002. 
 
 The estimates are presented as ranges of high, low, and most likely estimates for the number of illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths attributed to each food category. The ranges reflect the uncertainty in the estimates. 
 
 The estimates depend on the general assumption that the foods implicated in outbreaks are the same foods that cause individual illnesses not part of outbreaks. 
 
 The risk for foodborne illness is just one part of the risk-benefit equation for foods; the health benefits of consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables must also be considered. 
 
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 Does this mean I should not eat produce and poultry? 
 
 No, that is not the message from this paper. A healthy and safe diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. These findings do not mean that people should avoid certain categories of foods. 
 
 Fruits and Vegetables: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 encourage us to eat more fruits and vegetables as a part of a healthy diet. Eating fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases including heart attack, stroke, and certain types of cancer. When properly cleaned, separated, cooked, and stored to limit contamination, fruits and vegetables safely provide some essential nutrients that would otherwise be lacking in most American diets. 
 
 The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 encourage us to eat more fruits and vegetables as a part of a healthy diet. Eating fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases including heart attack, stroke, and certain types of cancer. When properly cleaned, separated, cooked, and stored to limit contamination, fruits and vegetables safely provide some essential nutrients that would otherwise be lacking in most American diets. Raw Poultry: Food items, like chicken, often contains harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Washing poultry does not remove bacteria. Kill these bacteria by cooking chicken to the proper temperature Use a food thermometer to ensure that cooked foods reach a safe internal temperature: 165Â°F for poultry, 145Â°F for whole meats (allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming), and 160Â°F for ground meats. 
 
 often contains harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Washing poultry does not remove bacteria. 
 
 What types of additional data and methods are you planning to use to improve the estimates? 
 
 The attribution of illness to foods can be done in several different ways, some highly specific for one type of infection or one type of food, and others more general. 
 
 For example, by comparing the characteristics of Salmonella found in foods and animals with those found in people, one can attribute Salmonella infections back to specific animal sources. 
 
 A working group of scientists from CDC, FDA and USDA has been collaborating on several projects to improve these estimates. This Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) is bringing together more data from across the agencies, and evaluating methods for analyzing them, and will be providing more refined estimates in the future. 
 
 Will you ever be able to tell us the top foods that make us sick? 
 
 This study goes a long way toward doing that, and CDC is working to refine the estimates. FDA is working to develop the list of the riskiest foods among the foods that they regulate. 
 
 The Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration is developing a more detailed breakdown of foods and food groups (beyond the 17 general categories) that will help in future work. Learn more about IFSAC and their current projects. 
 
 How will CDC partners benefit from this study? 
 
 The study provides extensive documentation for industry, consumer groups, and researchers to use and review. Regulatory agencies can use these data to conduct risk analyses required in the rulemaking process. 
 
 Outbreak data are used to measure Healthy People 2020 goals. Outbreak data are also used to inform the Food and Drug Administrationâ€™s (FDA) regulations, such as the Egg Safety Rule, and provide rationale for adoption of FDAâ€™s recently proposed rules on produce safety standards and preventive controls for human food. 
 
 Outbreak data are used by the US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to evaluate control measures for poultry and beef, informed by success in the reduction of E. coli O157 illnesses and are in line with the Agencyâ€™s 2011-2016 Strategic Plan. 
 
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– Nothing can put a damper on your July 4th barbecue like rain—except maybe food safety experts, some of whom give USA Today pointers on how to avoid celebrations that end with you running for the bathroom. Doug Powell of the aptly-named barfblog.com starts with a few foods he would never eat: Sprouts: They can carry salmonella, listeria, and E. coli, and require warm moisture to grow—just like bacteria. Raw shellfish: No matter how fancy the restaurant, don’t risk it. Why? Raw waste is in the water they call home. Raw milk: Sure, people say unpasteurized milk is healthy and boosts the immune system. But the CDC says it also contains salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, and brucella. And a few general tips: Take your meat’s temperature: The trick is to insert the thermometer in sideways, and you’ll want to hit a balmy 160 degrees. For fans of medium-rare burgers, Food Safety News has a not-so-gentle reminder about the dangers of salmonella. Don’t trust sliced cantaloupes: The melon’s soft, rough skin love bacteria and washing doesn’t improve matters. And bacteria on the rind can get on the yummy interior when the melon is cut. The solution? Store sliced melon in the fridge. Stay cool: Keep your picnic foods in a cooler, not in the summer sun. Be friends with mayo: It contains pasteurized eggs and lots of vinegar to keep bacteria at bay. The homemade version is riskier. For the full article, click here.