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?
• For more information

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

For more information

• Public health notices
• Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education
• Food safety
• Food recalls, risks and outbreaks
• Report a food safety or labelling concern