Prevention of E. coli (Escherichia coli) infection
Learn how E. coli infections can be prevented.
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How can illness due to E. coli infection be prevented?
It can be difficult to prevent illness from E. coli infection because contaminated foods look, smell and taste normal.
However, you can reduce your risk of becoming ill from E. coli and other food-borne illnesses by:
- following general food safety tips, including:
- washing your hands often and properly
- cooking food to a safe internal temperature
- washing raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
- drinking treated or bottled water from a safe supply
- keeping pets away from food storage and preparation areas
- pets could be carrying bacteria, even if they look healthy
You can help prevent others from getting sick by contacting your local public health authority to report a concern about:
- unclean restaurants or grocery stores
- suspected food poisoning from a restaurant