Summer Barbecues Require Care

As we enter this year’s picnic and barbecue season, it’s a good idea to review precautions you can take to avoid food-borne illness.

For years the federal Food and Drug Administration has stressed the basic advice, “keep hot foods hot, keep cold foods cold.”

That means keep hot foods at 145 degrees or more and cold foods at 45 degrees or less. Don’t let either stand at room temperature for any length of time.

And, of course, keep all food and food-handling tools and surfaces clean. That includes your hands.

Millions of cases of food-borne illness occur annually in the United States. Most are mistakenly assumed to be some type of flu, according to the Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter.

Children and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to food-borne illnesses, reports Lester M. Crawford of the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Children’s immune systems may not be fully developed, Crawford reports, while youngsters with illnesses may have impaired immune systems. Among those at risk are folks with AIDS, diabetics, people receiving chemotherapy and those with chronic liver and kidney problems.

Cook food thoroughly, Crawford urges, so it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. Meat and poultry should be cooked until there is no pink color inside and the juices run clear. Fish should flake with a fork when properly done, and eggs should be solid, not runny. Never eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood or eggs, says Crawford.

And cleanliness is essential. Be sure to clean cutting boards and utensils between use. A cutting board used for raw meat can easily spread dangerous bacteria to other foods placed on it later.

If you are going on a picnic, the Food and Drug Administration suggests certain foods that may be less likely to cause problems.

These include scrubbed whole fruit, processed lunch meats and frankfurters that contain preservatives, canned meats and canned vegetables.