Health Canada estimates that 1 in 8 people which is approximately 4 million Canadians get sick each year from contaminated food. This results in over 11, 500 hospitalizations and 240 people die every year from food-related illnesses. People don't usually associate dying with food borne illness and that's why it's important to know that it can be fatal and these illnesses can be easily prevented.
When I train food safety to food service workers and managers, I mention that food safety training is not only applicable to work, but it's a life skill that we should all understand considering that food is everywhere around us, everyday of our lives.
Knowing what simple steps to take to keep the food you and anyone you've prepared food for safe is important, especially if you're immunocompromised and knowing where to go for information is also important in this day and age when we're bombarded with information online that might be inaccurate.
If you haven't noticed already, there is food safety information on many packaged food items these days. Generally, you will see safe cooking information which will tell you the safe internal temperature your food must reach to prevent you from getting sick. Some other examples will include washing instructions, storage instructions or dates to keep the food items for both safety and/or quality. If you use meal kit services like, GoodFood, a good provider will include food safety information on the recipe cards that are included to help you to keep the food safe.
Next time you're looking at your food packages, take some time to thoroughly read it to see if it includes any food safety information. Below is a photo from a food package that includes the safe internal temperature information and as long as I have a thermometer at home (of course I do), I can check to make sure that the food has reached this safe temperature.
For more information on food safety, you can look at Health Canada's website and your local public health department's website would be some of the best starting places for more information. If you're looking for more training on food safety, whether you work in foodservice or not, consider taking a food safety course, like the ones offered by TrainCan, you just never know when that learning might make all the difference for you or those you've prepared food for.