As a caregiver, preparing food for your loved one is likely part of your daily responsibilities. Keeping this food safe is critical because your loved one may be more vulnerable to foodborne illness—commonly known as food poisoning—and may experience more serious effects if they become sick.

Foodborne illness occurs when disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites (also called “pathogens”) contaminate food. These pathogens can cause illness when the contaminated food is consumed.

Practicing proper food handling techniques is essential to protect your loved one’s health and safety. Here are some important things to know:

• The food supply in the United States is among the safest in the world ̶but it can still be a source of infection.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne pathogens cause up to 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the United States each year.
• Many of these people who get foodborne illness are children, older adults, or individuals with weakened immune systems who may not be able to fight infection normally.
• Since foodborne illness can be serious—or even fatal—it is important for you to know and practice safe food-handling behaviors to help reduce your risk of getting sick from contaminated food.

Certain groups of people are more susceptible to foodborne illness than others. They are more likely to get sick from contaminated food, and if they do get sick, the effects are often much more serious.

Those at increased risk include:

• Cancer patients
• Children under 5 years of age
• Diabetes patients
• HIV/AIDS patients
• Older adults
• People with autoimmune diseases
• Pregnant women
• Transplant recipients

Information shared on this tool will include food safety basics, information about at-risk populations and resources to help you combat foodborne illness.

Developed in partnership with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.