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Step 1
Walk into your kitchen and look around. A sponge or kitchen towel can harbor millions of bacteria that you spread around every time you wipe something with it. Dampen the sponge and microwave it for 2-1/2 minutes. Wash your kitchen towels in hot water.
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Step 2
Clean your cutting board after each use and designate one specifically for raw meat. You may cross contaminate if you use the same cutting board, knife or spatula on raw protein, and then touch other foods with it. A good cleaning with soap and water, followed by a spray of bleach and water in a 1:10 solution will keep the cutting board and kitchen surfaces safe. Let the bleach sit for a minute or 2 before you rinse it off.
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Step 3
Look at public restrooms carefully before you decide to use one. Overflowing trashcans, empty soap dispensers, lack of disposable hand towels and toilets that won't flush are all indications that you will encounter some nasty germs if you enter.
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Step 4
Observe whether the staff at your favorite restaurant wash their hands. Soiled hands can introduce harmful bacteria onto your plate. If they have open cuts or sores, they may be introducing bacteria into food, plates, glasses or utensils.
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Step 5
Notice whether the cold foods are cold and hot foods are hot when they come to your table. A hot bar should have steam coming from it, with a constant temperature of 140 degrees or more. The salad bar should be cold enough to keep the lettuce crisp and other vegetables and condiments cool to the touch.
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Step 6
Check your meat for doneness with a utensil, and you may introduce bacteria to the center of the meat, where it doesn't get hot enough to kill it. If you see any utensil marks such as these in your meat when dining out, send it back and bring it to the attention of the manager.
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Step 7
Remember that the 3 most common bacteria that cause food borne illness don't affect the smell, taste or look of the food. Campylobacter is present in some undercooked chicken or foods contaminated by its juices. Salmonella can come from birds, your pet turtle, reptiles and some raw eggs. E.coli may be in food and water contaminated with cow feces and can contaminate any raw vegetables exposed to it. The only way to protect yourself is to be vigilant and use precautions when preparing foods or eating out.
