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Foodborne Illness Peaks in Summer - Why?
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Year after year, we hear and read the same advice: Handle food
carefully in the summer because foodborne illness — also known
as "food poisoning" — is more prevalent in warmer weather.
Do foodborne illnesses increase during the summer months? If
so, why?
Yes, foodborne illnesses do increase during the summer, and
the answer appears to be twofold. First, there are the natural
causes. Bacteria are present throughout the environment in soil,
air, water, and in the bodies of people and animals. These microorganisms
grow faster in the warm summer months. Most foodborne bacteria
grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 °F. Bacteria
also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather is often
hot and humid.
Given the right circumstances, harmful bacteria can quickly
multiply on food to large numbers. When this happens, someone
eating the food can get sick.
Second, there are the "people" causes for the upswing in summertime
foodborne illnesses. Outside activities increase. More people
are cooking outside at picnics, barbecues, and on camping trips.
The safety controls that a kitchen provides — thermostat-controlled
cooking, refrigeration, and washing facilities — are usually
not available.
Fortunately, people seldom get sick from contaminated food because
most people have a healthy immune system that protects them
not only from harmful bacteria on food, but from other harmful
organisms in the environment. At the same time, FSIS, other
government agencies, and food producers go to great lengths
to keep food safe. And, of course, consumers can protect themselves
at home with proper refrigeration and thorough cooking of perishable
food.
We know foodborne illness increases in warm weather. We also
know that consumers can Fight BAC!® by following these four
simple steps to safer food in the summertime.
Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often.
Unwashed hands are a prime cause of foodborne illness.
- Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before handling
food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and
handling pets.
- When eating away from home, find out if there's a source
of potable (safe drinking) water. If not, bring water for
preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean, wet, disposable
washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning
hands and surfaces.
Separate: Don't Cross-Contaminate.
Cross-contamination during preparation, grilling, and serving
food is a prime cause of foodborne illness.
- When packing the cooler chest for an outing, wrap raw
meats securely; avoid raw meat juices from coming in contact
with ready-to-eat food.
- Wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards that held the
raw meat or poultry before using again for cooked food.
Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures.
Food safety experts agree that food is safely cooked when it
is heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature
to kill harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
- Take your thermometer along. Meat and poultry cooked on
a grill often browns very fast on the outside, so be sure
that meats are cooked thoroughly. Check them with a food
thermometer.
- Cook beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops to
a safe minimum internal temperature of 145 °F. Cook
steaks and roasts that have been tenderized, boned, rolled,
etc., to an internal temperature of 160 °F.
- Cook all cuts of pork to an internal temperature of 160
°F.
- Cook ground beef, veal and lamb an internal temperature
of 160 °F.
- All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature
of 165 °F throughout the product.
- Cook meat and poultry completely at the picnic site. Partial
cooking of food ahead of time allows bacteria to survive
and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot
destroy them.
Chill: Refrigerate Promptly.
Holding food at an unsafe temperature is a prime cause of foodborne
illness. Keep cold food cold!
- Cold refrigerated perishable food like luncheon meats,
cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads should
be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches
of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water.
- Consider packing canned beverages in one cooler and perishable
food in another cooler because the beverage cooler will
probably be opened frequently.
- Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car, and place
in the shade or shelter, out of the sun, whenever possible.
- Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing
the ice as soon as it starts melting.
- If a cooler chest is not an option, consider taking fruits,
vegetables, hard cheeses, canned or dried meats, dried cereal,
bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bottle of refreshing
beverage.
- Take-out food: If you don't plan to eat take-out food
within 2 hours of purchase, plan ahead and chill the food
in your refrigerator before packing for your outing.
Leftovers?
Food left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours may not
be safe to eat. Above 90 °F, food should not be left out
over 1 hour. Play it safe; put leftover perishables back on
ice once you finish eating so they do not spoil or become unsafe
to eat.
If you have any doubts, throw it out. |
Last Modified:
July 7, 2006 |
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