Experts share key advice to prevent holiday foodborne illnesses

2026 has been an unusually severe and active year for food safety issues, particularly when measured by outbreak case counts and recall volume by weight. Now Americans are on high alert to protect their loved ones around the table this holiday season.

A new national survey from Orlando Health reveals nearly 60% of U.S. adults are more concerned about foodborne illnesses this year than in previous years.

It sounds scary to hear about all of these different bacteria or these new infections, E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora, Campylobacter, Giardia, but in reality, they're not new. We've treated them before. If you're more aware of it, you're also going to take more steps to prevent those kind of infections." 

Daniel Egan, M.D., physician, Orlando Health Medical Group - Infectious Diseases

Dr. Egan recommends vigilance from preparing the food to putting away leftovers:

• Wash your hands frequently between tasks: Taking a brief pause to wash your hands with soap and water, especially between different preparation steps (such as switching from handling raw poultry to preparing stuffing), after using the restroom or when feeling unwell, is one of the single most effective ways to prevent spreading pathogens.

• Never wash or rinse raw poultry: Do not rinse raw turkey or chicken in the sink. Water splashing off the poultry splatters bacteria onto surrounding countertops, plates, utensils and sink surfaces. Heat from proper cooking safely destroys the bacteria.

• Prevent cross-contamination with separate tools and storage: Use distinct cutting boards, prepware and utensils for raw meats versus serveware and ready-to-eat dishes. In the refrigerator, keep raw meats covered and stored on separate shelves or drawers away from produce and leafy greens.

• Use a food thermometer to check internal temperatures: Avoid eyeballing or relying on visual inspection alone. Use a thermometer probe to ensure poultry and meats reach safe internal cooking temperatures and don't remain in the bacterial "danger zone." 

• Rinse produce and leafy greens, even pre-washed items: Always rinse fresh produce under running water before eating, even if the package states it is "pre-washed" or "pre-cleaned" because bacteria can be picked up during transport and handling.

• Keep food covered and track sitting time: Keep dishes covered while serving or transporting them to guard against environmental contaminants like dust and pet hair. Limit the time perishable foods sit out (aiming for a one to two-hour maximum) before packing leftovers into airtight containers in the refrigerator.

"Holiday cooking is unique compared to your normal daily or weekly cooking," Dr. Egan said. "Cooking large meals, you might skip a few steps here and there to try and be more efficient. But that increases your risk for transmitting infection." 

Symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, cramps, diarrhea and fever, can happen anywhere from six hours to several days after exposure to foodborne bacteria. Mild cases that clear within a day can usually be managed at home. Dr. Egan advises going to the doctor when symptoms worsen or persist. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and immunocompromised people face the greatest risk of complications, such as dehydration and kidney problems.

"If it resolves within a day, then it's resolved," Dr. Egan said. "If it's not going away or it's even escalating, your body is losing fluids, it's losing electrolytes. We can do testing to see if there's anything wrong with your electrolytes and if there's any particular infection that needs antibiotics."

Nationally, foodborne diseases sicken 48 million people every year, causing 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. That's why Meg Powel, 33, of Columbus, Ohio, takes the necessary steps, no matter the current outbreak, to protect her family meals from foodborne illnesses.

"I would never want that to happen in my own house, in my own kitchen so I really try to be as careful as possible," Powel said. "Using disposable gloves, a good produce wash, airtight containers, a food thermometer, multiple cutting boards. At the end of the day, if I'm the one serving everything, then I take full responsibility to make sure everyone is really taken care of."