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The long and lazy days of summer are upon us, which means cooking and eating outside in the fresh air. Unfortunately, al fresco meals can also include an uninvited guest: food poisoning. To avoid such an unwelcome addition to your cookout the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following tips.
When shopping at the market, choose meat and poultry last. Bag your selections with other cold items and get them home promptly. Don't leave such perishables in the car while you run errands, as germs present on food will soon begin to multiply.
Once home, store soon-to-be-used meat and poultry in the refrigerator in their original store wrapper or rewrap in freezer foil and store in the deep freezer. This will shorten freezing time and also enable items to be thawed more quickly later on by reducing the time needed between thawing and cooking.
Meat and poultry products should never be allowed to thaw at room temperature. Defrost them in the refrigerator or microwave.
Pay close attention to how foods are prepared for cooking outdoors. Wash all countertops, cutting boards and knives with hot soapy water before and after using them for raw foods, as such "cross contamination" can be dangerous breeding ground for germs.
Always wash hands before and after handling raw meat items. When packing foods for a picnic or outing, place all perishable items in a well insulated cooler and cover with plenty of ice. Keep coolers in the shade and open only when necessary.
While it is usually safe to store picnic leftovers in an ice-filled cooler, it's a better idea to package remaining foods immediately after the meal is finished. Food items left at room temperature for three hours or more should be discarded, but those exposed to warmer outside temperatures should be disposed of sooner. The best rule to follow is, "When in doubt, throw it out."
Food poisoning can often go undetected, as the symptoms often mimic those of the flu and include headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fever. But food poisoning can be serious and anyone who suspects they have such a condition should consult their health care professional immediately.
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