From JEFF COX
One of the best ways to celebrate the season is to enjoy the great outdoors, with great food and great company. Be it a picnic in the park, a snack on the beach, or dinner on the patio, eating outdoors is truly a pleasure in the warm summer months.
It’s important to keep safety in mind when thinking about eating outdoors, or about transporting food from one location to another. Keep these tips in mind when preparing, cooking, and transporting your delicious dishes:
• Marinate food in the refrigerator, not out on the counter.
• Don’t reuse marinade that was used on raw meat, poultry, or fish.
• Don’t use the same platter or dish that previously held raw meat, poultry, or fish.
• Keep food cold when transporting from one location to another. Use a cooler with ice packs. Food should be kept at a temperature of 40°F.
• Use separate containers or coolers for beverages and perishables.
• Pack food in the cooler in the reverse order you plan to eat it. This allows for easy access and minimizes the length of time the contents of the cooler are exposed to the elements.
• Wrap raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely so that the jices don’t leak onto other raw foods.
• Pack dressings and vinaigrettes separately and toss just before eating.
• Always rinse raw fruits and vegetables before packing. Dry them with a paper towel.
• Keep coolers in the air-conditioned section of your car, rather than in the hot trunk.
• Keep cold foods cold, and hot foods hot.
• Always remember to wash your hands before beginning.
• Hot food should be kept at or above 140°F, wrapped and insulated if necessary.
• Try not to keep perishables out for longer than 2 hours. Try to keep food in the shade as much as possible.
• Food should not be kept out for longer than 1 hour at temperatures at or above 90°F.
For more information, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
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Image Credit: © Noam Armonn | Dreamstime.com
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