Where: Grocery store aisles

When: While shopping 

How: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, fish and eggs away from other foods in your shopping cart. Grocery stores often provide free plastic bags in the meat section. Put raw meat, poultry, seafood and fish inside these bags before heading to the checkout.

Where: Grocery store checkout

When: When your groceries are being bagged

How: If you are bagging groceries yourself, put raw meat, poultry, seafood, fish and eggs in separate shopping bags. If a grocery store employee is bagging, ask if they could do this for you. This will help prevent meat juices and bacteria from getting on other groceries. 

Where: In your refrigerator

When: Until you are ready to cook

How: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, fish and eggs away from other foods in your refrigerator. Keep them in containers or sealed plastic bags. Place these items on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. Do not store these items in the door of the refrigerator. The door can get too warm. 

Freeze these foods (except eggs) if you do not plan to use them within a few days.

Where: Your kitchen counter

When: While preparing food to eat

How: Use separate cutting boards when preparing food. Use one cutting board for fresh produce and other foods like bread. Use another one for raw meat, poultry, seafood and fish. Do you have only one cutting board? In this case, wash your cutting board with hot water and soap before using it for different types of foods.

Use separate utensils and plates for cooked foods and raw foods. If you use a plate to hold raw meat, poultry, seafood, fish or eggs, do not put cooked food on this same plate. Wash the plate with hot water and soap before using it with other foods.