Summertime Grilling Safety Tips

Summertime and outdoor grilling go hand in hand when it comes to the warm months, but a foodborne illness can ruin a perfect picnic or cookout.  However, a little bit of planning can prevent a foodborne illness from occurring which happens so often in the warm summer months. 

Bacteria thrive in the temperature danger zone of 41°F to 135°F, so it’s important to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.  Most food at a barbeque or picnic will only be safe on the table for two hours and, if the air temperature is over 90 degrees, food becomes unsafe after only one hour. Once leftovers have been on the table that long, don’t keep them -- throw them away.  Also, it is important to keep raw meats separated from cooked or ready-to-serve foods.  Everyone should wash their hands and clean serving utensils need to be used. 

Use the same basic steps of food safety and cleanliness with outdoor cooking and eating that you would follow in your kitchen to keep foodborne illnesses from spoiling a summer day:

• If grilling at a park or campsite, pack raw meat in the bottom of the cooler where it will stay colder.
• Thoroughly chill any foods cooked ahead of time, such as cold fried chicken -- just because it's cooked doesn't mean bacteria won't grow in it.
• Before cooking and/or eating, wash hands or use antibacterial wipes on your hands.
• When grilling or eating a picnic at a park, take along garbage bags, baby wipes or disinfecting wipes (or damp washcloths in plastic bags) and paper towels close at hand -- keeping your work area clean also reduces the risk of harmful bacteria.
• Keep drinks in a separate cooler.
• Make sure coolers stay cool: keep them inside the car or place them in the shade instead of in direct sunlight.
• Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in.
• Pack condiments like ketchup, mustard and mayo in small containers.
• Keep foods made with mayonnaise cold as much as possible -- perhaps even stick them in the freezer for a while before packing them in the cooler.
• Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly (Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages under cold running water).
• When grilling, take out only what you will need immediately -- don't leave food out unnecessarily either before or after it is cooked.
• You can defrost in the microwave only if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.
• Never reuse marinades that have touched raw meat.
• Bring a fresh platter or clean foil pan to place cooked meat in -- not the one you used to bring the raw meat out to the grill.
• A food thermometer is one of the best barbecue tools to have on hand.
• According to the Food and Drug Administration, cook roasts and steaks to a minimum of 145°F, poultry to 165°F, ground meat to at least 160°F and fish to 145°F.