Grillin' and Chillin'
Keeping food safe during summer cookouts and picnics
 Whether you bite into thick juicy burgers and dogs hot from the grill, pack a picnic for the park, or dine on dilled salmon on the patio, chances are you'll want to enjoy cooking and eating outside all summer long. Make the most of the fun by making sure your food remains safe: follow these Fight BAC! tips from the Partnership for Food Safety Education.
Wash , Wash , Wash Your Hands (as in Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Always, wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling food.
Marinating Mandate
When marinating for long periods of time, it is important to keep foods refrigerated. Don't use sauce that was used to marinate raw meat or poultry on cooked food. Boil used marinade before applying to cooked food.
Hot, Hot, Hot
When grilling foods, preheat the coals on your grill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the coals are lightly coated with ash.
Temperature Gauge
Use a meat thermometer to insure that food reaches a safe internal temperature.
Where's the Beef? Chicken and Fish?
Hamburgers should be cooked to 160º F, while large cuts of beef such as roasts and steaks may be cooked to 145º F for medium rare or to 160º F for medium. Cook ground poultry to 165° F and poultry parts to 170° F. Fish should be opaque and flake easily.
Stay Away from that Same Old Plate
When taking foods off the grill, do not put cooked food items back on the same plate that previously held raw food.
 Icebox Etiquette
BAC Down! Give bacteria the cold shoulder. A full cooler will maintain its cold temperatures longer than one that is partially filled so it is important to pack plenty of extra ice or freezer packs to insure a constant cold temperature. Also, be sure to keep your refrigerator at 40° F or below. Use a thermometer to monitor.
| Interested in learning more about food safety? Visit the "Fight BAC! website at www.fightbac.org |
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