Current:Home > FinanceMemorial Day kicks off summer grilling season. Follow these tips to avoid food illnesses-LoTradeCoin
Memorial Day kicks off summer grilling season. Follow these tips to avoid food illnesses
lotradecoin exclusive trader benefits View Date:2024-12-25 12:32:14
- Food safety needs to be atop the menu because millions get sick from foodborne illnesses during the summer.
- Anytime you touch raw meat, seafood or poultry, eggs or flour, you should wash your hands before touching anything else – other foods or your smartphone.
- Hot or cold food should not sit out for longer than two hours, or one hour if it's hotter than 90° F outside.
Cookout safety needs to be part of the plan this Memorial Day weekend with a massive amount of travelers expected to hit the road, many headed to holiday gatherings with family and friends.
The holiday, on Monday, May 27, is a day to honor the men and women who died serving in the nation's military. It also kicks off the outdoor grilling season and marks the unofficial start of summer – OK, the season actually starts June 20.
Food safety needs to be atop the menu because millions get sick from foodborne illnesses during the summer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 48 million people are sickened annually by foodborne illnesses, with 128,000 hospitalized, and 3,000 dying.
“The bacteria that cause foodborne illness love the summertime as much as we do because they thrive and multiply quickly in warmer temperatures. This causes illnesses to spike during the summer,” said Dr. Emilio Esteban, under secretary for food safety for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a press release about summer food safety tips ahead of Memorial Day.
Krispy Kreme:How to get discounted doughnuts in honor of Memorial Day
Before you light the grill
Food safety measures should be taken even before it's time for your cookout. Here's some tips from the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service.
- Refrigerate: Make sure to place raw meat or poultry in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of buying it at the grocery store, or one hour if it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
- Thaw: Ideally, defrost meat and poultry in the refrigerator, but you can thaw sealed packages in cold water, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says. If you defrost using the microwave, put the food on the grill right away.
- Marinate: No matter what marinade you use, marinate your food in the refrigerator. (Note: Don't thaw or marinate meat, poultry, or seafood on the counter.) And dispose of your marinade after it has been used with raw meat. Do not reuse it.
Proper cooking temperatures for grilling meats
Meats must be cooked to a certain internal temperature to make sure you kill bacteria such as E. coli, which has been in the news lately for recalls of ground beef and, separately, of walnuts. E. coli infection can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps three to four days after exposure – and potentially kidney failure in children under 5 years old and in older adults, the CDC says.
Use a food thermometer to make sure food has been cooked to the proper temperature by placing the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat and reading the temperature after 10 to 20 seconds.
- All poultry should hit a minimum temperature of 165° Fahrenheit, says the USDA's FSIS.
- Burgers made of ground beef, pork, veal or lamb should reach 160° F. All cuts of pork should also reach 160° F.
- Steaks, roasts and other whole cuts of meat should be cooked to at least 145°F (62.6˚C) and allow to rest for three minutes after removal from the grill.
- For fish, cook to 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork, according to safe cooking temperature charts from the CDC and USDA.
Don't reuse utensils or plates when cooking and transferring foods from grill
To prevent cross-contamination of germs, use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate one for produce, bread, and other foods that won't be cooked, the CDC suggests.
Raw chicken doesn't need to be washed first, because washing may spread germs to your sink, counter and other foods, possibly making you sick.
Plates, platters and utensils used to put meat on the grill need to go into the kitchen for washing. Wash your counter, too. That prevents cross-contamination from raw meat to cooked meat.
Wait, you still don't wash your hands after prepping food for the grill?
Many folks involved in cooking don't wash their hands properly, or at all – or use food thermometers – found a 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Anytime you touch raw meat, seafood or poultry, eggs or flour, you should wash your hands before touching anything else – other foods or your smartphone, for instance.
That's because bacteria can live on surfaces for 72 hours, said Meredith Carothers, food safety expert with the USDA's Meat & Poultry Hotline, in a public service announcement. "It's crazy what your hands can move around," she said.
Want to wash your hands correctly? Here's how, according to the CDC:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water.
- Apply soap, then scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Sing "Happy Birthday" twice, or any one of these other songs to know you've met the standard.
- Rinse your hands well.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel.
- If you can't wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer made with at least 60% alcohol.
Here's how long food can sit out
Hot or cold food should not sit out for longer than two hours, or one hour if it's hotter than 90° F outside, the CDC says.
Cold food can be kept on ice before and even during serving. Warm food should be kept at or above 140°, so you may need to keep it insulated until served.
Any food sitting out beyond two hours, should be thrown away. Small portions of warm food can be put directly into the refrigerator.
“As we all spend more time outside, it is important to remember these food safety steps to keep your friends and family safe," the USDA's Esteban said.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
veryGood! (45)
Related
- Secretary of State Blinken is returning to the Mideast in his latest diplomatic foray
- Disease could kill most of the ‘ohi‘a forests on Hawaii’s Big Island within 20 years
- Jason Statham Shares Rare Family Photos of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Their Kids on Vacation
- Caitlin Clark shanks tee shot, nearly hits fans at LPGA's The Annika pro-am
- The burial site of the people Andrew Jackson enslaved was lost. The Hermitage says it is found
- 3 Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib win $42M judgement against defense contractor
- ‘Emilia Pérez’ wouldn’t work without Karla Sofía Gascón. Now, she could make trans history
- Gun groups sue to overturn Maine’s new three-day waiting period to buy firearms
- This house from 'Home Alone' is for sale. No, not that one.
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
Ranking
- Most reports ordered by California’s Legislature this year are shown as missing
- Colorado police shot, kill mountain lion after animal roamed on school's campus
- NFL coaches diversity report 2024: Gains at head coach, setbacks at offensive coordinator
- Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
- Michael Bublé Details Heartwarming Moment With Taylor Swift’s Parents at Eras Tour
- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had mild stroke this month, team says
- What is prize money for NBA Cup in-season tournament? Players get boost in 2024
- Darren Criss on why playing a robot in 'Maybe Happy Ending' makes him want to cry
Recommendation
-
One Tech Tip: How to protect your communications through encryption
-
GM recalls 460k cars for rear wheel lock-up: Affected models include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac
-
Michelle Obama Is Diving Back into the Dating World—But It’s Not What You Think
-
'Cowboy Carter' collaborators to be first country artists to perform at Rolling Loud
-
Mystery drones are swarming New Jersey skies, but can you shoot them down?
-
Where is 'College GameDay' for Week 12? Location, what to know for ESPN show
-
Catholic bishops urged to boldly share church teachings — even unpopular ones
-
Can't afford a home? Why becoming a landlord might be the best way to 'house hack.'