Summer is all about eating outdoors—barbecues, picnics and camping. People love the warm weather and so do the bacteria in your food. Warm temperatures can cause foodborne bacteria to grow and multiply quickly. Protect yourself and your family from foodborne illness by following safe food handling practices.
- Keep cold foods cold. Use insulated coolers with ice packs to keep food at 4°C or below.
- Keep coolers out of direct sunlight.
- Make sure raw meat, poultry and seafood are securely wrapped to prevent their juices from contaminating prepared food or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.
- Wash fresh produce under running water before packing it into the cooler.
- Use separate coolers for beverages and perishable foods. This way, people can easily refill their drinks while keeping the perishable foods cold.
- Marinate foods in the refrigerator or cooler.
- Never reuse a marinade. If you plan on using a marinade for a sauce on cooked food, set aside a separate amount for this beforehand. Never let the marinade from the raw meat, poultry or seafood come in contact with the cooked food.
- Cook food thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria. Use a digital food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat. Visit Health Canada’s website for more information on safe internal cooking temperatures.
- Never serve cooked food on platters or utensils that held raw meat, poultry or seafood unless they have been thoroughly washed with hot, soapy water.
- Keep hot food hot until served. Move cooked food to the side of the grill rack, away from the coals so that the food does not overcook.
- Foods left out in the DANGER ZONE (between temperatures of 4°C to 60°C) are at high risk for causing foodborne illness because bacteria can multiply quickly.
- Throw out any food left out in the danger zone for more than two hours. On a hot summer day, don’t keep food out for more than one hour. If in doubt, throw it out!
…and DON’T FORGET to wash your hands:
- This is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. At the very least, wash your hands before eating or preparing food and after handling raw meat.
- Using simple soap and water is the most effective way to rid your hands of germs.
- If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.