Let’s not give our guests food poisoning, shall we?!
Summer is the time to bring friends and family together. Whether for a BBQ on Father’s Day, a birthday celebration, fun in the sun, or any excuse to get bring people together. And while we want to enjoy the time, we also want to keep our friends and family safe. We have all heard the term food poisoning but let’s dive into this a bit more. Food poisoning is caused by a foodborne bacteria that is thriving in its environment and that is what can make us sick.
Thankfully, there are numerous ways we can keep our friends and family safe. There are simple steps like keeping cold items cold, hot items hot, transporting our foods safely from one place to another (like from home to a park), keeping foods separated to avoid cross-contamination, keeping things clean, etc. When keeping foods cold, it is recommended to keep them cooler than 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below until you serve the meal. When the food is hot, it should be kept at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. And once set out to serve, with both cold and hot food, it is not recommended to stay out for longer than 2 hours. Granted, if it is a super-hot day, then no longer than 1 hour. This temperature control can keep the foods you are serving to friends and family, at their safest. When transporting these foods, try to use insulated containers, ice when needed, and coolers.
The Food and Drug Administration shares 4 simple steps to keeping food safe! Here are a few I think are most important:
- First and foremost – keep things clean! Always wash your hands before handling food. Keep cutting boards, knives, and all utensils clean. Be sure to use clean towels or simple paper towels. Before eating foods, like veggies, lettuce, and fruit, clean them under running water to wash off any bacteria or germs.
- Do not keep raw meat near other food – keep things separated. Be extra cautious when handling raw meat by washing prep areas thoroughly before and after prep – this will help avoid cross-contamination. Be sure not to use the same cutting board when cutting up chicken and/or fruit and veggies.
- When cooking foods, be sure to know the correct temperature for that item. Invest in a good thermometer. To rid bacteria from our foods, we want to be certain we heat the item hot enough to kill the germs. Do not eat raw eggs and be certain to reheat foods to at least 140 internally. If using a microwave, or reheating meals – be sure to rotate your plate and heat thoroughly.
- When attempting to keep foods cold, under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, always keep them refrigerated until ready to consume. Do not leave frozen items, like meat or fish, on the counter to thaw. The safest way to thaw frozen food is in the refrigerator (and that can take time so plan accordingly).
The bottom line is that there are simple steps to making gatherings safe for everyone. Just like we wore masks during the height of the pandemic to keep others safe, let’s use smart safety management when preparing foods and keep food poisoning far away from our gatherings and celebrations.
