Summer cookouts are a great opportunity for family and friends to gather, share a meal, and create lasting memories. However, warm summer temperatures also create opportunities for harmful bacteria to multiply and contaminate your food. It is important to educate yourself on food safety to help keep you and your loved ones safe from food borne illnesses.   

Preparation:

Food safety starts with clean hands and a tidy workspace. Food borne illnesses can spread through cross contamination. To help prevent the spread, wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Also make sure to wipe down counters and clean your utensils often, especially knives and cutting boards. One of the easiest ways to prevent cross contamination is to use separate cutting boards for raw meats and fresh fruits or vegetables. 

Cooking and Serving: 

Meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature to ensure harmful bacteria are destroyed. The recommended minimum internal temperature varies by food product. Using a food thermometer is the only way to guarantee the safety of these foods - texture and color are not reliable! 

• Beef, Pork, Veal, and Lamb: 145° F
• Ground meats: 160° F
• All poultry, including ground: 165° F 
• Fish and Shellfish: 145° F 

Hot foods must be held at or above 140° F. Cold foods must be held at or below 40° F. Serving food at the proper temperature helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Harmful bacteria grow rapidly between 40° F and 140° F. This temperature range is commonly referred to as the temperature “Danger Zone”. Any food left in the “Danger Zone” for more than two hours must be discarded. If the outside temperature is greater than 90° F then food must be discarded after just one hour. 

Traveling and Storing:

It is encouraged to use an insulated bag or cooler with ice packs if you are traveling to a summer cookout. Insulated bags help ensure your food arrives to the cookout at a safe temperature. Insulated bags can also help chill any leftovers until they are able to be stored in a temperature controlled refrigerator. Leftovers must be reheated to at least 165° F and consumed within 3 or 4 days.