It's not always possible to see, taste or smell dangerous bacteria that
may cause illness if food is mishandled. Bacteria grow and multiply
rapidly in the danger zone between 40° F and 140° F. When transporting
food and cooking out, it's especially important to pay attention to
matters of food safety and keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
Food transported without an ice source or left out in the sun at a
picnic won't stay safe for long. Guests who eat mishandled food may get
what's known as the "Summer Bug," the flu-like symptoms caused by mild
food poisoning or even worse. Before having a picnic, be sure to prepare
and store food safely, then pack it properly for traveling.
Picnic, Barbecue & Cookout Food Safety Tips
Try to plan just the right amount of foods to take. That way, you won't
have to worry about the storage or safety of leftovers.
If there are leftovers, throw them out unless you can safely keep them
chilled until you get home. If there is still ice in the cooler when you
get home, the leftovers should be okay to eat. When in doubt, throw it
out! I hate to be wasteful, but when it comes to food poisoning, it's
better to be safe than sorry.
Any leftovers left outside for more than an hour should be discarded.
Clean preparation is essential. Wash hands and work areas; be sure all
utensils are clean before preparing food.
Foods that are cooked ahead need to be completed in plenty of time to
chill thoroughly in the refrigerator before being packed (unless, of
course you are taking measures to transport and serve hot food). Use an
insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at
40°F or colder. Pack food from the refrigerator right into the cooler.
Pack foods in the cooler in the order opposite of how you'll be using
them. In other words, pack the food you'll need last at the bottom and
so on.
A cooler chest can also be used to keep hot food hot. Line the cooler
with a heavy kitchen towel for extra insulation and place weel wrapped
hot foods inside. It's amazing how long the foods will stay not only
warm, but hot. Try to use a cooler that is just the right size to pack
fairly tightly with hot food so less heat escapes.
Thermos bottles can keep stews or hot drinks at the right temperature
for hours. If foods are poured boiling hot into sterilized bottles,
there shouldn't be a problem as long as they are still hot when it comes
time to eat.
If you're planning on take-out foods such as fried chicken or barbecued
beef, eat them within two hours of pick-up or buy ahead of time and
chill completely before packing the foods into the cooler.
Don't pack coolers in the trunk, carry them inside the air-conditioned
car.
As much as possible, keep coolers in the shade while at the picnic.
Keep cooler lids closed and avoid unnecessary openings.
It's a good idea to use a separate cooler for drinks, so the one
containing perishable food won't be constantly opened and closed.
Replenish the ice if it melts.
When preparing chicken, egg, or cold meat salads, or anything other
recipes featuring mayonnaise, refrigerate it as soon as possible, and
keep cold right up until packing time. Sometimes, I will even give these
types of items an extra shot of cold by placing in them in the freezer
for about 5-10 minutes before packing. This is just to insure they are
extra cold, do not freeze mayonnaise item as it tends to separate.
When preparing dishes like chicken or cooked meat salads, use chilled
ingredients. In other words, make sure your cooked chicken has been
cooked and chilled before it gets mixed with other salad ingredients.
When handling raw meat, remove from the cooler only the amount that will
fit on the grill at that time.
The USDA recommends that you don't eat raw or undercooked ground beef,
since harmful bacteria could be present.
To be sure bacteria are destroyed, cook hamburgers and ribs to 160
degrees F (medium doneness) or until the center is no longer pink and
the juices are clear. Cook ground poultry to 165°F and poultry parts to
180°F.
Do not partially grill meat to use later. Once you begin cooking meat by
any method, cook until completely done to assure that bacteria are
destroyed.
Reheat precooked meats until steaming hot.
When taking foods off the grill, put them on a clean plate, not the same
platter that held raw meat.
Never reuse marinades that have come in contact with raw meat, chicken
or fish, and don't put the cooked food back into an unwashed container
or dish that contained the marinade.
Reader Carolyn Kashat, Garden City, Michigan says, "When I have a big
barbecue party, I fill up a hard plastic childs pool with ice, then set
the food inside this."
To clean foods that have burnt on a barbecue grill, enclose them in a
large plastic garbage bag. Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup ammonia,
pour over the grills, close the bag and let sit overnight. The burnt on
pieces will have loosened making the grills easy to clean.
Control the flames on a barbecue grill by having a pint spray bottle of
water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Clean coolers with a water and baking solution to eliminate odors.
About the author
Cheri Sicard is the editor of
FabulousFoods.com, a
food and cooking site which specializes in Holidays and Entertaining.
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