Summertime threats - Extra Nutrition - Brief Article

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, July, 2002

If you're unlucky enough to get food poisoning this summer, don't blame the fat-free mayonnaise in your potato salad or chicken sandwiches. Mayo contains organic acids that give bacteria the brush-off, explains Michael Davidson, PhD, a professor and food-safety specialist at the University of Tennessee.

To keep your tummy happy, keep foods cool, particularly high-protein foods which are most at risk for Salmonella infiltration; wash the outsides of melons before cutting into them; and always wash your hands before handling food. For more tips on avoiding bacterial poisons, visit fightbac.org or homefoodsafety.org.