Written by Andie Scherer, Dietetic Intern, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center
Summer festivities are winding down, but we’ve yet to reach sweater weather, bonfires, and spooky fall nights. As we transition between seasons, what better way to savor the end of summer than with Labor Day celebrations? But remember that any occasion involving a large spread of cookout classics, salads, and desserts may also bring the spread of bacteria. Fight back with these food safety tips to make sure your end of summer bash goes off without a hitch!
- Make sure your hands are clean. Food safety is literally in your hands. Wash your hands before preparing any food – that means soap and water! Scrub for at least 20 seconds and rinse with warm water. For outdoor festivities, bring along hand sanitizer for extra peace of mind.
- Avoid cross-contamination. Labor Day usually involves grilling out – and that means raw meat. Use designated cutting boards for raw meats, and use a separate cutting board to prepare fruits and vegetables. Make sure you also use a clean plate for cooked meat fresh off the grill, and discard any marinades that have come into contact with raw meat.
- Cook foods to a safe temperature. You can’t always tell that meat is properly cooked just by looking at it. Use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches a safe internal temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that could make you sick. For ground beef, pork, or lamb, make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, while whole cuts of these meats should reach 145°F after three minutes of rest. Poultry must reach 165°F to be considered safe. Remember to keep meats above 140°F until ready to serve.
- Chill. Yes, relax and enjoy the festivities, but also make sure you keep cold foods cold. Bacteria can multiply rapidly when food is in the danger zone – between 40°F and 140°F. Keep cold items in a cooler on ice until it’s serving time. Once served, don’t let it sit out at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour if the outside temperature is greater than 90°F.
Don’t pass up on one of your last opportunities to take advantage of the warm weather! As summer comes to an end, enjoy the company of family and friends for one final celebration, and share these food safety tips to keep foodborne bugs at bay.
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Eating Outdoors, Handling Food Safely.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 30 July 2018, www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm109899.htm. Accessed 27 Aug. 2018.
- “Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures.” FoodSafety.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 23 Aug. 2009, www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html. Accessed 27 Aug. 2018.