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Barbecue and Picnic Food Safety

Simple Precautions to Help Prevent Food Poisoning

• Wash hands

• Avoid cross-contamination of foods
• Cook meats thoroughly
• Keep cold foods cold - below 40 degrees F
• Keep hot foods hot - above 140 degrees F
• Refrigerate leftovers immediately

Causes of Food Poisoning

Unwashed hands, undercooked meats, cross-contamination from raw meats to other foods, and eating unwashed fruits and vegetables can spread E. coli, salmonella, and a host of other foodborne diseases.

What many people call "stomach flu" or "intestinal virus" is often food poisoning, resulting in symptoms from mild nausea to a serious condition requiring medical treatment and hospitalization. Especially at risk are young children, the elderly, and people who have diseases that involve the immune system, such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, HIV, diabetes, liver, and kidney diseases.

Prevent Illness by Washing Hands Frequently

• Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling raw meats.

• Where running water is unavailable, set up a make-shift hand wash station using hand soap and a container with a spigot, filled with warm water.
• As a last resort, waterless hand sanitizers or disposable hand wipes can be used.
• Everyone should wash hands before eating to prevent passing germs to food.

Cook Meats Thoroughly

The safest way to ensure meats are cooked well enough is to use a food thermometer.

• Ground beef patties or hamburger: 160 degrees F - insert thermometer in center of patty

• Chicken: 165 degrees F - you may prefer a higher temperature for traditional taste and texture
• Hot dogs: 165 degrees F
• Beef, veal, and lamb cuts: 145 degrees F

Consider serving chicken that has been precooked and chilled, or cooking chicken pieces in advance by boiling or microwaving in your kitchen before barbecuing. Take-out chicken is also a potential hazard if not kept hot or completely chilled before serving.

Prepare Salads Properly

While mayonnaise has been implicated as a cause of food poisoning, the real culprits in salads are the other ingredients (such as potatoes, eggs, pasta, and tuna) that are often combined with mayonnaise before being thoroughly chilled and then left at room temperature for several hours. Bacteria can be introduced and multiply while ingredients are warm. Thoroughly chill salad ingredients, including mayonnaise, before combining. Even canned tuna needs to be pre-chilled, unless you will be eating it immediately after opening the can.

Transport potato, macaroni, and other salads on ice to keep them cold. When outdoors, consider nesting the salad bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice.

Wash Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

• Nearly all types of fruits and vegetables have been implicated in foodborne illnesses.

• All fruits and vegetables should be washed with running water before cooking and/or serving.
• Use a vegetable brush and running water (no soap) to clean the outside of melons. Bacteria and other pathogens can be transferred to the inside of the fruit or vegetable by cutting through it.
• Cut melons, fruits, and vegetables should be kept cold. When served outdoors, consider placing the serving dish on ice or immediately store in an ice chest after serving.

Store Leftovers Properly

• Store leftovers in an ice chest right away.  Food left out for more than two hours should be discarded.

• Baked goods, chips and unopened drinks are safe to serve later without refrigeration.

Cook and Clean-up Properly

• Clean utensils and cutting surfaces to avoid contamination from raw meat to other foods.

• Use a different utensil and dish for cooking than what is used for serving. For example, do not return cooked meat to a dish that held raw meat.
• Wash utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water, then rinse.

For other tips on outdoor food preparation, see the USDA's safe food handling fact sheets, Food Safety While Hiking, Camping, and Boating and Barbecue and Food Safety.