Food Poisoning Peaks in the Outdoor Grilling Season
During the spring and summer months, the number of outdoor barbecues and picnics increase. These events present additional challenges in handling food safely, because bacteria grow the best during warm and humid weather. Events such as barbecues and picnics create ideal circumstances for rapid bacterial growth, which can cause people to get sick from food. The Menard County Health Department recommends the following food safety tips for your outdoor events:
Plan Ahead
If cooking and preparing foods beforehand, like salads, meats, and poultry, give them plenty of time to completely chill in your refrigerator. Marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator and do not reuse the marinade. For restaurant prepared foods, eat them within two hours from pick up.
Keep Cold Foods Cold
Perishable foods should be stored in an insulated cooler packed with ice or ice packs to keep the food cold. Replenish ice when low and keep the cooler in the shade to help keep the food cold.
Keep Everything Clean
Remember to wash your hands prior to preparing food. Use disposable wet hand wipes to clean your hands if water is unavailable. Do not use the same dish, utensils or cutting board for raw and cooked foods.
Cook Thoroughly
A food thermometer is the only way to check the doneness of meat and poultry. Use your food thermometer to check that your food reaches the final cooking temperatures below:
Ground Meat (Beef, Pork) to 160°F
Ground Meat (Turkey) to 165°F
Steaks to 145° to 170°F
Chicken (breast) to 170°F
Chicken, Turkey, whole to 180°F
Keep the cooked meats hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack until you are ready to serve the food.
When in Doubt, Throw it Out
Food left out for more than 2 hours is not safe to eat and should be discarded. Leftovers that have been off the grill for less than 1 hour can be safely cooled and used later if they are packed in ice.
A
food-borne illness (fbi) is an illness that is caused by the food you eat. Even though America's food supply is the safest in the world, millions of people are affected by
food-borne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
food-borne illnesses cause about 76 million cases of illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.
Food-borne illnesses are traditionally thought of as being caused by germs (microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, parasites), but injuries or illnesses due to a physical contaminant or chemical poison are considered to be a
food-borne illness as well.
Food-borne illnesses caused by germs are classified as either intoxications or infections. Food intoxications are illnesses that result from the consumption of food containing toxins (poisons) that are produced by the germ. Food infections are illnesses due to organisms that are consumed and continue to multiply within the body. Organisms that cause illnesses can be found in a wide range of foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, rice, vegetables, puddings, sauces, milk, and seafood. All foods have the potential to cause disease if contaminated.
Common symptoms of
food-borne illness include diarrhea, nausea, and fever. Because organisms can cause similar symptoms, naming the microbe responsible for an illness is difficult unless lab tests are done to identify the microbe in the food and patient. Symptoms may come as soon as a half-hour after eating the contaminated food or they may not develop for several days or weeks.
Because many ill people do not seek medical attention, many
food-borne illnesses go undiagnosed. The great majority of illnesses are unreported and therefore uninvestigated. For instance, the CDC estimates that for each case of reported salmonella, 38 cases actually occur.
The Environmental Health Services of the Menard County Health Department investigates
food-borne illness complaints. If you have a concern about a possible food related illness, contact your nearest public health center.
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