Keep Food Safety in Mind for Outdoor Summer Cooking & Eating

It’s officially the start of summer vacation and travel season – a time for family getaways and flavorful barbecues and picnics.

During this time, it’s important to take precautions for safe food handling, preparation, and cooking, to avoid food-borne illnesses like Salmonella and E. coli, which can be severe and, in some cases, life-threatening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year 48 million (or roughly one out of six Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases.[1] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration calculates that about two to three percent of all food poisoning cases lead to secondary long-term illnesses and complications such as arthritis, kidney failure, and meningitis. [2]

Typical food-poisoning symptoms include vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and fever, ranging from mild to severe. Health care professionals caution that certain people have an increased risk for foodborne illness, including pregnant women, older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems.

To help you keep your families healthy, here are some general food and kitchen hygiene tips to help you safely prepare and serve your summer meals. These are especially critical for raw meats, summer salads, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, which are among the most perishable foods at cookouts.

• Clean everything: It is important for those preparing and handling food to frequently wash their hands before and after they start cooking and use fresh, clean plates and utensils to serve cooked food. Another way to ensure there is no cross contamination is to use different utensils for each prepared dish.

• Cook to the right temperature: When grilling meats, they tend to brown faster on the outside. However, this doesn’t mean the meat is cooked on the inside. Use a food thermometer to ensure meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature.

• Refrigerate perishable food within two hours. When food is left unrefrigerated for more than two hours, bacteria grow rapidly. [4] For temperatures over 90F, food should be refrigerated within an hour.

• When to call the doctor? If you experience any of the following symptoms it is recommended to reach out to urgent care, primary care, or an emergency department.
  • Diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours
  • Blood in the vomit or bowel movements
  • Fever that persists for more than 24 hours
  • Severe stomach pain
  • Feeling dehydrated – Headaches, muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion, fatigue

Have fun this summer but be safe with your food.

[1] Foodborne Germs and Illnesses | CDC

[2] Food Safety Facts and Figures (eatright.org)

[3] Foodborne Germs and Illnesses | CDC

[4] Four Steps to Food Safety | CDC