Editing Cooking (section)

===Food safety===
{{Main|Food safety}}
Cooking can prevent many [[foodborne illness]]es that would otherwise occur if raw food is consumed. When heat is used in the preparation of food, it can kill or inactivate harmful organisms, such as [[bacteria]] and viruses, as well as various parasites such as [[tapeworm]]s and ''[[Toxoplasma gondii]]''. Food poisoning and other illness from uncooked or poorly prepared food may be caused by bacteria such as [[Escherichia coli O157:H7|pathogenic strains]] of ''[[Escherichia coli]]'', ''[[Salmonella typhimurium]]'' and ''[[Campylobacter]]'', viruses such as [[norovirus]]es, and [[protozoa]] such as ''[[Entamoeba histolytica]]''. Bacteria, viruses and parasites may be introduced through salad, meat that is uncooked or done [[Doneness|rare]], and unboiled water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/foodborne-illnesses|title= Foodborne Illnesses |work=National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases }}</ref>

The [[Sterilization (microbiology)|sterilizing]] effect of cooking depends on temperature, cooking time, and technique used. Some [[food spoilage]] bacteria such as ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' or ''[[Bacillus cereus]]'' can form spores that survive cooking or boiling, which then [[germination|germinate]] and regrow after the food has cooled. This makes it unsafe to reheat cooked food more than once.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/complete_safefood.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922234817/http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/complete_safefood.pdf|url-status=dead |title=Safe Food Australia – A Guide to the Food Safety Standards|archivedate=22 September 2010}}</ref>

Cooking increases the digestibility of many foods which are inedible or poisonous when raw. For example, raw [[cereal]] grains are hard to digest, while [[kidney bean]]s are toxic when raw or improperly cooked due to the presence of [[phytohaemagglutinin]], which is inactivated by cooking for at least ten minutes at {{convert|100|C}}.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Noah ND, Bender AE, Reaidi GB, Gilbert RJ |title=News, Notes, And Epidemiology |journal=Br Med J |volume=281 |issue=6234 |pages=236–237 |date=July 1980 |pmid=7407532 |doi=10.1136/bmj.281.6234.235 |pmc=1713670}}</ref>

Food safety depends on the safe preparation, handling, and storage of food. Food spoilage bacteria proliferate in the "[[Danger zone (food safety)|Danger zone]]" temperature range from {{convert|40|to|140|F|C}}; therefore, food should not be stored in this temperature range. [[Washing of hands]] and surfaces, especially when handling different meats, and keeping raw food separate from cooked food to avoid cross-contamination,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d468f3d9-fb6c-4109-88d7-2931f7132098/Barbecue_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES|title=Grilling and Food Safety|publisher =USDA|access-date=30 January 2019|date=June 2017}}</ref> are good practices in food preparation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Basics_for_Handling_Food_Safely/index.asp |title=Basics for Handling Food Safely |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040928210429/http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Basics_for_Handling_Food_Safely/index.asp |archive-date=28 September 2004 }}</ref> Foods prepared on plastic cutting boards may be less likely to harbor bacteria than wooden ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/foodsafety/az1076.html|title=Cutting Boards (Plastic Versus Wood)|publisher=Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the University of Arizona|work=Food Safety, Preparation and Storage Tips|year=1998|access-date=21 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613074257/http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/foodsafety/az1076.html |archive-date=13 June 2006}}</ref><ref name="ReluctantGourmet">{{cite web|url=http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cutting_board.htm|title=Cutting Boards – wood or plastic?|work=ReluctantGourmet.com|access-date=21 June 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060702142255/http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cutting_board.htm|archive-date=2 July 2006}}</ref> Washing and [[disinfecting]] cutting boards, especially after use with raw meat, poultry, or seafood, reduces the risk of contamination.<ref name="ReluctantGourmet"/>