What's Going Around? - Summer Cookout Safety

It would not be summer without picnics and cookouts. Unfortunately, even though everyone enjoys a summer day with friends and family, not everyone knows how to properly handle and prepare food outdoors.

Food borne illness can be a problem during a summer cookout. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million Americans deal with a food borne illness every year.

It is important that you prepare and handle your food properly at picnics and cookouts. These tips will help make sure that your guests leave the party with good memories, not food poisoning:

• Keep your food as cold as possible – 40 degrees or colder – when moving it from home to the outdoors.
• Take your favorite foods straight from the refrigerator and put them into a cooler filled with ice or ice packs. A full cooler stays cold longer than one partially filled.
• Once the grill is fired up, thoroughly cook your burgers, steaks, chicken, and other favorites to kill common food borne bacteria.
• Keep cooked and uncooked foods separate.
• Experts also agree that you should not leave the food out for more than two hours – one hour if it is hotter than 90 degrees outside.