I food poisoned myself… and the same thing could happen to you.

Quite simply… I didn’t wash my vegetables carefully enough. Self-inflicted food poisoning.

How many times have you bought fresh veggies, given them a quick wash and then added them to whatever you were preparing? Didn’t think twice about it, did you?

But how do you know if that cilantro wasn’t accidentally dropped on the supermarket floor, then returned to the shelf and nestled in with the other bunches? It looked okay… green and fresh and supermarket floor dirty.

And what about those apples? No bruises, right? Well maybe the person who was searching for the perfect apple just before you had something very contagious and touched the very same apples you’re carting home. Sure, you’ll wash them… but how well?

I could go on and on and get even more gross, but there’s no reason to… you get the drift.

For a while I was using Rebel Green Fruit and Veggie Clean…. but I ran out and didn’t replace it. Mistake. Rebel Green is made with all natural ingredients that lab tests have proven remove some of the most common strains of bacteria and pesticides on fresh produce… more effective than rinsing with water alone.

I’ve pulled together some more quick tips to keep your family safe and prevent foodborne illness in your home.

Have you ever been food poisoned?

A few years back, GP and Drew got so sick on our holiday in California that they couldn’t fly home with the rest of us. It took them a good three days to recover.

We knew exactly what they ate and where they ate… but besides calling the restaurant, there wasn’t anything we could do about it. Twitter has changed all that… at least in Chicago.

Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Public Health, using the Twitter handle @Foodbornechi began monitoring tweets from Chicago diners with the words “food poisoning.” Volunteers then contact the victims and encourage them to fill out a form and report the incident.

This could help “connect the dots” in the race to trace the source of a specific outbreak or help pinpoint restaurants that may be unknowingly spreading foodborne illness.

Think this is a good idea? Let me know. Critics say while a lot of people scream “food poisoning!” if they get sick after a meal… the last thing eaten isn’t always to blame. Did you know you can get sick from food poisoning up to TWO WEEKS later! (That’s According to the Centers for Disease Control).

Still, I think Twitter is a great idea. May not make your stomach stop hurting… but it might make you feel a little better to vent your anger.

And, who knows…you might just help a fellow diner avoid a potential problem down the road.