{"id":8511,"date":"2020-07-15T05:08:39","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T09:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eatrightpa.org\/?p=8511"},"modified":"2021-10-30T03:37:31","modified_gmt":"2021-10-30T03:37:31","slug":"food-safety-during-picnic-season-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/2020\/07\/15\/food-safety-during-picnic-season-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Safety During Picnic Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Food Safety During Picnic Season<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>By: Helen Agresti RD, founder of <\/em><\/strong>Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Enjoying picnics and barbecues with family and friends is the epitome of summer. Don\u2019t let unsanitary conditions spoil your picnic.\u00a0 One in six Americans contract a foodborne illness each year, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Warmer summer weather increases your chances of food poisoning, also referred to as a foodborne illness.\u00a0 The ideal temperature for foodborne bacteria growth is between 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (32 to 43 degrees Celsius). When the temperature of your food is within this range, warmer weather and humidity provide the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive and flourish.\u00a0While you enjoy your favorite foods outside during the warm summer months, hot food should be kept at 140 \u02daF or warmer; cold food should be kept at 40 \u02daF or cooler.<\/p>\n

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<\/h4>\n

These best practices against food poisoning are essential:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Clean<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wash your hands often and keep prep surfaces clean throughout the day. Bring soap and a container filled with water for washing or use moist towelettes if a water source is unavailable.\u00a0 Avoid placing cooked food on a platter, plate, or cutting board that had previously held something raw unless it was washed in hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. Remember to also wash your hands after a game like cornhole or playing fetch with pets.<\/p>\n

Wash and dry all fruits and vegetables prior to leaving for your picnic. Even if you plan to peel fruit, it\u2019s important to wash them. Bacteria can make its way inside and spread when you cut or peel. Place larger fruit like watermelon and pineapple in a strainer to get them evenly clean.<\/p>\n

Click the link below for an informative video from the USDA on the importance of washing during food safety prep.<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/JFq4sWTzTA8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Separate<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Bacteria can spread long before your picnic. Keep raw poultry, meat, seafood in sealed containers or bags to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods in your refrigerator. Did you know that the USDA recommends that eggs be stored in their original carton and on a shelf in the main compartment of the refrigerator rather than the door?\u00a0 This will keep them fresh and at an adequate temperature,<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Keep beverages, produce, and raw meats in separate coolers that are clean of food residue. Keeping these items separate will lessen the chance for cross contamination.<\/p>\n

Fill up those coolers with cold food and ice! The fuller the cooler the colder the food. Also, it\u2019s best to keep coolers in the shade or under an umbrella away from the sun\u2019s rays. Try limiting the amount of times you open and close the cooler with perishable foods.<\/p>\n

Designate specific utensils for raw and cooked foods. Always use clean serving utensils that have not been contaminated with raw food or juices.<\/p>\n

Click the link below for an informative video from the USDA on the importance of separation during food safety prep.<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/Xm_X5LJmrbw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Cook<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Bacteria that causes food poisoning multiplies the fastest in the \u201cdanger zone\u201d temperature range of 40\u02daF and 140\u02daF.\u00a0 There\u2019s no better way to tell if a food is fully cooked than with a food thermometer. Measure the temperature in the thickest part of the food avoiding bone and fat. Clean your thermometer after each use.\u00a0 Place your food in a slow cooker or chafing dish to ensure the temperature stays at 140 \u02daF or above.<\/p>\n

Hamburgers should be cooked to 160\u02daF. If a thermometer is not available, make sure the hamburger is brown inside without any pink. Chicken should be cooked to at least 165\u02daF.<\/p>\n

Click the link below for an informative video from the USDA on the importance of cooking temperatures during food safety prep.<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.foodsafety.gov\/keep\/basics\/cook\/index.html<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chill<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Food poisoning bacteria can grow within 2 hours unless the food is properly refrigerated. Cold food should be held at 40\u02daF or below. If the outside temperature is 90 \u02daF or above, the perishable food has just 1 hour before bacteria starts to grow. Use lids and citronella candles to keep your foods safe and bug free. Always let hot foods cool completely before storing them back in a cooler. If perishable food has been sitting out for 2 hours or more, play it safe and toss it!<\/p>\n

Click the link below for an informative video from the USDA on the importance of thawing during food prep.<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/T5C335jleZA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Helen Agresti<\/a> is a Registered Dietitian in private practice in Erie, PA. Helen specializes in weight loss, sports nutrition, eating disorders, digestive diseases, food sensitives, and childhood obesity. She is also employed by the PA Bureau of Autism counseling children and adults with Asperger\u2019s weekly. Helen enjoys sharing her passion for fitness, cooking, and traveling with her husband and 5 children.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sources:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/foodsafety\/prevention.html<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. https:\/\/www.fsis.usda.gov\/wps\/portal\/fsis\/topics\/food-safety-education\/get-answers\/food-safety-fact-sheets\/foodborne-illness-and-disease\/foodborne-illness-peaks-in-summer\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Food Safety During Picnic Season \u00a0By: Helen Agresti RD, founder of Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC   Enjoying picnics and barbecues with family and friends is the epitome of summer. Don\u2019t let unsanitary conditions spoil your picnic.\u00a0 One in six Americans contract a foodborne illness each year, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8511"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10208,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8511\/revisions\/10208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eatrightpa.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}