Precautions for eating in restaurants

To protect yourself from food-borne illnesses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends taking the following precautions while dining out.

Be choosy when selecting restaurants to frequent

• Note the general cleanliness of the facility and staff. If you aren't confident that conditions are sanitary, leave.
• Restaurants are inspected by the local health department for cleanliness and proper kitchen procedures. Find out the inspection scores of selected restaurants (they are sometimes posted in the restaurant).
• Find out whether food safety training is regularly provided for staff.

Give specific directions and ask questions. Do everything you can to ensure your food is prepared properly.

• Make sure meat is cooked at the proper temperature. For example, when ordering a hamburger, ask for it to be cooked to a temperature of 160° (71.1°) and send it back if it is still pink in the middle.
• Order eggs cooked so the yolk is firm. When you order an item that combines eggs, such as omelets, request pasteurized eggs. Choose a different menu item if pasteurized eggs are not available.