Washing your hands, keeping foods cold or hot and separating raw foods from cooked foods are a few examples of the food handling and preparation practices that are necessary to prevent foodborne illness. These practices are particularly important since harmful microorganisms like bacteria often do not alter the appearance or smell of food but are still capable of causing illness. This section provides research-based information on safe food handling and preparation practices that have been found to be effective in reducing the risk of foodborne illness.