Keep Everything Clean

If clean water is not available at your location, bring water. Soap and water are essential to cleanliness. Wash your hands before and after handling food and don’t use the same containers and utensils for cooked meats which were used for raw meats. Bacteria from raw meats can be easily spread to other foods on hands, containers, and utensils.

Keep Hot Food Hot and Cold Food Cold

When traveling to a picnic or barbecue, store refrigerated perishable foods in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water. Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood wrapped separately from cooked food to prevent any chance of cross-contamination of foods. Pack beverages in a separate cooler because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently making it difficult to maintain the cooler temperatures required for perishables.

Cold food should be kept at 40°F or below (34°F for fish/seafood). Hot food should be kept at 140°F or above. Most bacteria do not grow at a rapid pace in temperatures below 40°F or above 140°F. Bacteria multiply rapidly at the temperatures in between and can reach dangerous levels. Food that is mishandled can lead to food borne illness.

Take Care of Leftovers Promptly

Discard all perishable foods left out for more than two (2) hours or one (1) hour when the outside temperatures exceed 90°F. This applies to all perishables, even the ones from a restaurant. Meats should be separated into smaller portions and placed in shallow containers before storing them in the cooler or refrigerator.

Maintaining food safety during the summertime can be a challenge. By following these suggestions, your outdoor gathering will be an enjoyable event and you will reduce the chances of a food borne illness making you or your guests sick.

“When in Doubt, Throw it Out!”
- USDA

Resources: United States Department of Agriculture – Food Safety Inspection Service