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MACON, Ga. – According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there has been a rise in Hepatitis A infections.
There are more than 170 Hepatitis infections in the state since January 2018, which is six times higher than the total number in 2017. 66% of those cases were hospitalized.
Culinary instructor Marie Carlson from Helms College in Macon says along with the basics, students learn about food safety and some of the consequences.
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"They learn about all the diseases that come with it, including Hepatitis A, which is from feces and under-cooked food and things like that," Carlson said.
Carlson makes sure she changes her touch after every new food she touches.
"That's another thing with hepatitis and when you're working with raw materials, that's how people get sick, cross-contamination," Carlson said.
Today's lesson is with shrimp, which she says takes more work with cleaning.
"With seafood, seafood has a lot of time, it sits in the water because the sea is essentially a toilet for animals and aquatic animals.
She says shrimp takes three to five minutes to cook.
Carlson says to make sure your burgers, chicken, or hot dogs are cooked quickly and not left out too long.
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"If it is there too long, what we call the 'danger zone,' it actually can get contaminated and start to burst you, and then you go home with belly and nasty things like that," she said.
Carlson says to make sure your cutting boards and utensils are fully cleaned after every use. She also wants to make sure your chicken is fully cooked, cut into it first and make sure it's not pink or red.
Outside of Georgia, the Centers for Disease Control says Hepatitis A is increasing nationally.
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