With the 4th of July right around the corner, you may be busy making plans with friends and family which always involves planning a menu. Summer gatherings are known for picnics and outdoor eating, and often times food safety is overlooked. One small mistake of food safety can result in foodborne illness and sicken your whole crew. Here are some tips to avoid foodborne illness.
1) Wash your Hands: many times foodborne illness can be avoided by simply practicing proper hand washing techniques. Be sure to wash your hands before cooking, after handling raw meat, and before eating. If running water is not available, bring hand sanitizer and rub it all over your hands, inbetween fingers, and around your nails.
2) Use sealed containers for packing your coolers: If juices from raw meats drip into your cooler and mix with other items, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grown. Use ziplock or sealed tight containers for packing your goods. If running water isn’t available, be sure to wash your produce before you leave home!
3) Avoid cross-contamination: bring two sets of utensils and plates to avoid cross contamination. One set for the raw food and one set for the cooked food.
4) Use a good cooler: Make sure your cooler is up to par for keeping your foods cool and be sure to leave enough room (1/4) of it for ice, ice packs, etc. Pack cool and hot foods separately and be sure to use your thermometer to check the temperature of the cooler throughout the day. Temperatures should be under 40 degrees.
5) Dont’ let food sit out: The danger zone for bacteria growth is between 40 and 140 degress F. Bacteria can double in a matter of 20 minutes when in this zone. Do not let any food sit out for more than 2 hours and if the temperature is higher than 90 degrees F, food should only sit out for an hour. Be especially mindful of meats, salads made with a mayo base, and anything dairy.
6) Use a thermometer: Meats needs to be cooked to certain temperatures to ensure doneness and eliminate bacteria. Hamburger must be cooked to 160 degrees F and chicken- 165 degrees F. If you are unsure of what temp your meat should be cooked to, please refer to this chart: http://homefoodsafety.org/cook
Enjoy and be safe!
-Kelsey
