What can be done to prevent Clostridium perfringens infection?
Be sure to wash your hands before preparing or serving foods and after handling raw meat or poultry. Meat and poultry based foods should be cooked thoroughly. Clostridium perfringens grows best between 45 and 140 F., so it is best to keep hot foods hot (above 140 F.) and cold foods cold (below 40 F.). If you have a large portion of food leftover, divide it into smaller portions not over three inches deep to refrigerate so it cools quickly. Foods should be refrigerated immediately and not left at room temperature to cool. Prepared food should not be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Reheat foods to at least that 165 F.
