Four Steps for Food Safety

Food safety this Fourth of July can be as simple as cleaning, separating, cooking and chilling, according to a new campaign from FoodSafety.gov.

How? Cooks should wash their hands and food surfaces often; use separate plates for raw and cooked food when grilling; foods should be cooked to the right temperature (a food thermometer is helpful); and food should be put in the fridge or freezer within two hours of cooking.

Cases of foodborne illnesses surge during the summer season because bacteria multiply faster when it's warm, according to FoodSafety.gov. About 48 million Americans will get sick from foodborne illness this year, resulting in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that about one in four hamburgers turns brown before it's reached a safe internal temperature, according to FoodSafety.gov. Research done by the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA shows that only 23 percent of Americans who own a food thermometer actually use it when grilling hamburgers, which should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees.

In a blog post on FoodSafety.gov, Diane Van of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service answered some of the most frequently asked questions about safe grilling practices.

When buying meat and poultry, customers should choose packages that aren't torn and feel cold, Van said. Try to wrap the meats in another plastic bag so leaking juices don't drip on other foods.

Fresh meats should be the last items put in the shopping cart, and separate them from precooked items, Van said. Raw meat should also be bagged separately and put away in the refrigerator or the freezer as soon as possible.

Never leave raw meat, poultry or any perishable food out at room temperature for more than two hours.

If refrigerated at 40 degrees or below, use ground raw meats and poultry within a couple of days; raw beef, veal, pork and lamb shanks, roasts, and chops should be used within five days, Van said. If refrigerated within two hours of cooking, meat and poultry can be safely eaten for about three or four days. If frozen, the meat and poultry should remain good for about four months.

Meat and poultry will be safe indefinitely if kept frozen at 0 degrees; however, it will lose quality over time, she said. It's best to wrap the meat in heavy-duty plastic wrap, aluminum foil, freezer paper or freezer plastic bags.

Meat and poultry should never be grilled partially; it should be cooked all the way through once it's put on the grill, she said. Hot food should stay hot until it's served.

Additionally, don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry, as harmful bacteria present in raw meat and juices can contaminate safely cooked food, Van said.

For more food safety tips, visit FoodSafety.gov.