Food Safety
Now that summer is here, most of us like
to head outdoors to picnic. But as the temperature climbs, so do the chances of food becoming unsafe for eating. Here are some things you can do to prevent illness:
| 1. | Keep foods cold. Refrigerated perishable foods, such as luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken, potato or pasta salads, should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs or containers of frozen water. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another as the beverage cooler will be opened more frequently. Also attempt to keep the cooler in the shade whenever possible and when the ice begins to melt, add more. |
| 2. | Plan ahead. If your menu includes take-out foods, buy them before you leave on your outing and chill them in your refrigerator. When the temperature goes past 90 degrees, food should not be left out for longer than 1 hour. |
| 3. | Wash hands and workspace often. Always wash hands before and after handling raw food. |
| 4. | Cook your food thoroughly. Bacteria that cause food-borne illness are destroyed when foods are cooked thoroughly. Before grilling, preheat coals for about 20 or 30 minutes or until the coals are lightly coated with ash. Check the internal temperature of your meats with a meat thermometer. |
| 5. | Prevent cross contamination. Wrap raw meats well so that juices don't come in contact with cooked food. When removing cooked food from the grill, never place it back on the plate where the raw food was kept. |
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