Foodborne illnesses tend to increase during the summer. The CDC estimates roughly 48 million foodborne illnesses occur annually in the US, that's roughly 1 in 6 people. Warmer temps allow bacteria to multiply faster and then there's all that picnicking and barbecuing, where food can sit unrefrigerated for too long.
But the summer of 2026 is proving to be an exceptionally sickening season. To date, there's been a Cyclospora parasite outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce, Salmonella outbreaks from fresh jalapeños and eggs, and E. coli illnesses linked to frozen blueberries.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say pathogens can be introduced to food at the farm, processing plant, or during distribution. More than half of reported foodborne illness outbreaks are typically associated with restaurants, where sick workers, cross-contamination, and inadequate cooking can cause problems.
And then, there's your kitchen. Fortunately, there are simple ways to keep food from making you sick.
Preventing Food Poisoning
The CDC urges following the four steps to food safety:
- Clean: Keep hands and surfaces clean. Wash your hands before, during, and after preparing food as well as before eating. Scrub soapy hands for at least 20 seconds with clean running water. This is about the same time it takes to hum "Happy Birthday" from beginning to end, twice. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water. For firm produce such as melons and cucumbers, the FDA recommends scrubbing with a clean produce brush under running water and then drying with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Separate: Keep risky foods separate from ready-to-eat foods, including in the shopping cart, fridge, and during food prep. Foods most likely to harbor germs include raw meat, poultry, meat, seafood, and eggs. Always wash your hands after handling these foods.
- Cook: Make sure foods reach the USDA-recommended safe internal temperatures so you know that germs have been killed. Do not rely on clues like color. Buy a food thermometer and get familiar with safe internal temperatures of different meats and poultry. For chicken, a common source of foodborne illness thanks to bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, that's 165 degrees F.
- Chill. Refrigerate promptly. Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours or 1 hour if it's above 90 degrees.
Don't Be Chicken About the Chicken
This advice gets its own section because so many Americans are apprehensive about handling raw chicken. You don't need to be afraid. First of all, don't rinse it. Doing so can splash bacteria all over your skin, counters, and nearby foods.
What you do need to be aware of is cross-contamination. In other words, be mindful of everything the raw chicken, and your hands after touching it, come into contact with. That could be cutting boards, knives, counters, dish towels, and refrigerator shelves.
Cook's Illustrated Kitchen Hacks recommends creating a little containment zone for all the raw-chicken stuff by placing the plastic-wrapped chicken on a rimmed baking sheet before cutting open the package with kitchen shears. You can leave "the empty package, shears, and any other dirty utensils on the sheet, and pat the chicken dry. Then discard the packaging and transfer the baking sheet and tools to the sink to clean."
What to Do With Recalled Food
Follow the recall instructions for disposing of or returning the product. If you're instructed to discard it, seal it in a bag before putting it in the trash. Check whether any other foods came into contact with it, and dispose of those as well.
To deal with potential germs, the entire refrigerator needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Empty it of everything, including shelves and drawers, which can be washed in hot soapy water and dried with a clean towel. Clean the fridge interior with hot, soapy water, including the doors and any nonremovable drawers. Rinse with clean water and dry. Then, the CDC recommends mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid bleach to 1 gallon of water to sanitize the fridge. Never mix bleach with other cleaners.
Before returning containers to the fridge, wipe them down. Clean the counter where you placed everything, and wash your hands.
Know When to Call
Remember, food poisoning symptoms can begin anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks after eating contaminated foods, depending on the pathogen. Contact your doctor if you're experiencing bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than three days, fever over 102 degrees F, frequent vomiting, and signs of dehydration.
