Summertime Food Safety

Food safety is particularly important during the summer months, the prime time for eating out-of-doors. Follow these food safety tips for healthier summer picnics, cookouts, and outdoor celebrations.

Wash hands with warm, soapy water before handling food or cooking, and after handling uncooked meats. If running water is not available, fill soda bottles with tap water to use for hand washing or bring moist towelettes or hand sanitizing lotion.

Bring a cooler to keep foods cold. Gel packs and leak-proof plastic bags of ice cubes should be used to maintain foods at below 40° F. Another option is to freeze water in one-liter soft drink bottles. Keep in the cooler. As the ice melts, the water can be used as drinking water.

Defrost foods in the refrigerator. The cold temperature helps prevent growth of bacterial. Frozen foods should not be defrosted out-of-doors.

Separate uncooked and cooked foods to protect cooked foods from being contaminated by bacteria in raw foods.

When grilling, use separate plates for raw and cooked meats; raw meat juices can contain harmful bacteria. Wash utensils used for raw meats before using on cooked meats.

Use a meat thermometer to check meat temperature. Solid pieces of meat like steak should be cooked to an inner temperature of at least 145° F, burgers to at least 160° F and poultry to at least 170° F.

Put cooked food away after no more than 60 minutes outside to help prevent spoilage and growth of bacteria.

Wash out coolers with soapy water between picnics. Dry well or allow to air dry before covering and storing.