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Safe Summertime Cooking Eating outdoors is synonymous with summer. But as the temperature rises, so does the incidence of food poisoning. Whether you're headed to the beach, the mountains, or your own backyard, here's how to enjoy "unspoiled" summer meals. Handling food correctly before you start cooking can prevent problems. Always follow label instructions to "keep refrigerated" and use a food by the date shown on the package. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling utensils or raw food. Thoroughly clean cutting boards with hot, soapy water and a brush. Marinate raw meat, fish, and poultry in a glass dish in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If you're using the marinade as a dip or basting sauce, set some aside before adding the raw food to it. If you're precooking food, move it immediately from the microwave or range to the grill. If you can't do that, cook the meat completely and cool quickly to heat later on the grill. Always prepare and store food at the proper temperature. Cook large cuts of beef to 145 degrees F for medium rare and 160 degrees F for medium. Whole poultry should reach 180 degrees F. Fish should flake easily with a fork. Cook ground meat patties to 160 degrees F, ground poultry to 165 degrees F, to kill all bacteria. Cut into the food to check doneness; juices should be clear and the meat should not be pink. Serve hot, grilled foods immediately. To avoid cross-contamination, put cooked foods on clean plates that weren't used to hold the raw meat or poultry. For picnics away from home, take only the amount of food you'll need. Thoroughly chill all foods prepared ahead of time (like sandwiches and salads) and pack them in a cooler surrounded by ice or frozen gel packs to keep the food at 40 degrees F. (Keep the cooler in the car with you.) Once you've arrived, put the cooler in the shade. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods within two hours, one hour if the outside temperature is above 90 degrees F. Divide food into shallow containers so that it cools quickly. Food left in a cooler should be safe to eat if the cooler still has ice in it and the food is cool to the touch. However, when in doubt, throw it out. Never taste foods to see if they are safe. Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension |
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