Summer food poisoning can be a bear
Fireworks mishaps get all the attention on the Fourth of July but it could just as easily be that undercooked chicken leg that brings you down. Bacteria loves cookouts almost as much as you do and thrives in warm weather when food is kept under the wrong conditions. With the lack of running water and food prep space, it can be a challenge to transport safe cooking habits outdoors. But with a little planning you can declare your independence from food poisoning.
And in the good old U.S.A., you’ll get plenty of help. Every year the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture send out food safety reminders. Here are tips from their experts.
A cooler for the beer and one for the food. Bring separate coolers for food and beverages. In fact, bring two for the food—one for meat and the other for prepared foods and produce. Transfer perishable products straight from the refrigerator to the cooler and keep it at 40 degrees F or below. When you reach your destination, keep the food coolers in a shady spot and avoid opening them too often, which lets in warm air. But you can open the beverage cooler as often as you want.
Clean up your act. If you’re preparing food where there’s no source of clean, running water, bring a jug of your own. Also take along soap and paper towels, or hand sanitizers and disposable wipes. Wash your hands and any surface where food is being prepared or eaten. Don’t be tempted to reuse a platter that’s held raw meat or poultry. Bring plenty of extra utensils and dishes so you can put the dirty ones aside until they can be properly washed later at home.
Cook it right. To destroy harmful bacteria, cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature. Meat and chicken cooked on the grill can brown very quickly on the outside but to tell if they’re really done you’ll need a meat thermometer. Typically, poultry should reach 165 degrees F, hamburgers should reach 160 F and solid cuts of beef, lamb and pork should be cooked to 145 F and then allowed to rest before slicing.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. After your meat is done, keep it hot—140 degrees F—until served. Put it off to the side of the grill rack so it won’t overcook. Cold foods can be kept that way by putting them on ice in a shallow container and replacing the ice as it melts.
If there are leftovers. No food should be left out for more than two hours. Cut that to one if the temperature outside is 90 degrees F or above. Pack up your leftovers in shallow containers and put them on ice immediately. Throw out any food that has been left out too long. Whatever you take back home, pack in the cool part of the car and not the trunk.
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