Approximately 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur in our country every year. To protect yourself, your family and friends from foodborne illness this summer, practice safe food handling techniques when eating outdoors. Keep these tips in mind when preparing, storing and cooking food for picnics and barbecues.
When transporting food:
Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Cold food should be held at or below 41°F.
Consider packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another.
Meat, poultry, and seafood may be packed while it is still frozen so that it stays colder longer.
Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry and seafood in a cooler separate from cooked foods or foods eaten raw such as fruits and vegetables.
Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Packaged fruits and vegetables labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed,” or “triple washed” need not be washed.
Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.
Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth towel or paper towel.
Keep the cooler in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of your car, rather than in a hot trunk. Limit the number of times the cooler is opened.
Before you begin:
Food safety always begins with hand washing, even in outdoor settings. And it can be as simple as using a water jug, some soap and paper towels. Keep all utensils and platters clean when preparing food.
Safe grilling tips:
Marinate foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter or outdoors. If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion separately before adding the raw meat, poultry or seafood.
Don’t use the same platter and utensils that previously held raw meat or seafood to serve cooked meats and seafood.
When it’s time to cook the food, cook it thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to be sure.
When you serve food:
Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
Do not use a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood for anything else unless the plate has first been washed in hot, soapy water.
Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140°F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.
Foods like chicken salad and desserts in individual serving dishes can also be placed directly on ice, or in a shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice. Drain off water as ice melts and replace ice frequently.
Don’t let perishable food sit out longer than 2 hours.
Food should not sit out for more than 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F.
For more information about safe food handling, contact the Marion County Public Health Department Food and Consumer safety program at (317) 221-2222.
