BY: Danielle D'Elia
Barbecues may be a favorite pastime for many Americans, but it’s one that easily can be ruined by spoiled food or incorrect cooking.
Although it can occur at any time, experts report seeing more cases of food poisoning during the warmer months.
“There is a spike in food-borne illnesses in the summer possibly linked to the temperature,” commented Shelley Feist, executive director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE).
She recommends keeping hot foods hot, and cold foods cold — which may sound obvious, but is something people often overlook.
“Bacteria grows in warmer temperatures and they can not be seen or smelt,” Ms. Feist noted as to why it’s important to keep cold food in the fridge.
Dr. Frank Scafuri added that if the outside temperature is less than 90 degrees, food can last about two hours in the heat. If it’s over 90 degrees, food will stay about an hour before it’s time to throw it away.
The chief of Infectious Diseases at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton also stressed the importance of hand-washing, which can reduce the risk of cross-contamination that leads to food poisoning.
This should be done with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, the PFSE advises, recommending you sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” twice to get a sense of how long to wash.
Additionally, the experts recommend staying near a source of clean water, or carrying hand sanitizer at all times if that’s not possible.
Here are some other tips from the PFSE that will help you have a food poisoning-free cookout:
*Always marinate food in the refrigerator. Don’t use sauce that was used to marinate raw meat or poultry on cooked food. Reserve a portion of the unused marinade to use as a sauce.
*When grilling foods, preheat the coals on your grill for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the coals are lightly coated with ash.
*Use a food thermometer to ensure that food reaches a safe internal temperature. Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees, while large cuts of beef such as roasts and steaks may be cooked to 145 for medium rare or to 160 for medium. Poultry must reach a temperature of 165 degrees, and fish should be opaque and flake easily.
*When taking foods off the grill, do not put cooked items back on the same plate that held raw food, unless it has been washed with hot water and soap first.
*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 ensure a constant cold temperature. Keep the cooler out of the direct sun. Keep drinks in a separate cooler from foods. The beverage cooler will be opened frequently while the food cooler stays cold.
For more information, visit fightbac.org.
Danielle D’Elia is a reporter for the Advance. She may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.