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Summer Food Safety
Here are some simple rules for preventing foodborne illness:
Wash
Hands and Surfaces Often
Be sure to routinely wash your hands before and after handling
food. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops
with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before
moving on to the next food. If a water source is not available
for hand washing, use disposable towelettes or antibacterial
hand gel to keep hands clean.
Separate: Don’t Cross Contaminate
Put raw meat, poultry and seafood into sealed containers or
plastic bags so juices will not cross contaminate safely
cooked foods
or other items such as fruits and vegetables.
Storage Tips
• Perishable food such as meat, poultry, seafood and eggs should
be kept cold or frozen
until ready to cook.
• A full cooler stays colder longer than one that is partially
filled, so it’s important to pack
plenty of extra
ice or freezer packs to ensure a constant cold temperature.
• Pack drinks in a separate cooler to avoid opening the food
cooler frequently.
•
Any food that has been left in the cooler
after the ice has melted should be thrown away.
Marinating
Marinate food in refrigerator, not on the counter. If some
of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked
food, reserve
a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and
poultry in it.
Grill to Proper Temperatures
Always use a cooking thermometer. Meat and poultry tend
to brown very fast on the outside, it’s important
to be sure that these foods reach a safe internal temperature.
Most bacteria
do not grow rapidly at temperatures below 40F or above
140F. Hamburgers and all cuts of pork should be cooked
at 160F, while
large cuts of beef such as roasts and steaks may be
cooked at 145F for medium rare or to 160F for medium.
Poultry parts should
be cooked to 170F. Fish should be opaque and flake
easily.
Serving the Food
Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held raw
meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in
the juices could contaminate safely cooked food.
Leftovers
Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
Discard any food left out more than 2 hours (One
hour if temperatures
are above 90F)
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