This weekend is the unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day activities, including picnics and barbecue fun. Food safety is important! Each year 48 million get sick from foodborne illnesses. It’s especially dangerous for wee ones, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system.
Food Safety TIPS:
- Don’t Contaminate! Keep raw meats, seafood and eggs separate from everything else. Use a clean serving plate after cooking. Planning to use the meat marinade as a sauce with the cooked meat? You’ll need to boil it first.
- Have safe cooking temperatures (that means have a meat thermometer close at hand).
Cook seafood – >145degrees (internal temp)
Cook beef, lamb, pork, veal – >145 degrees
Cook ground beef- >160 degrees
Cook poultry- >165 degrees
- Keep cold foods cold. If food belongs in the fridge, it needs to be packed up in a cooler. Use large coolers for good air circulation * Have small food containers * Have lots of ice or frozen gel packs *
- Keep hot foods hot (>140 degrees).
And if the outdoor temperatures are over 90 degrees, chilled food from the cooler can only stay out of the cooler for 1 hour.
