As you prepare for your Fourth of July picnic, food safety has to be at the top of the list. Cathy Isom has some tips on how to have a food safe Fourth of July this year for you and all of your guests. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Along with the fireworks, millions of us will be hearing the sounds of sizzling foods on the BBQ grill all across America.
And it’s also this time of year when the questions and phone calls come into the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline. As Marianne Gravely explains one of the biggest mistakes made when it comes to grilling and getting food together for that outdoor gathering:
Cross contamination. Which would be if you are carrying a plate of raw chicken or raw hamburgers to the grill then you cook the whatever it is you’re cooking and then if you were to put that back on the same plate that held the raw food you could contaminate the cooked food with bacteria from the raw food.
So it’s best to have separate plates. One for the raw food and one for the cooked food so bacteria stays clear from what you and your loved ones are about to eat.
And another important tip when eating outdoors. Don’t leave your food out for too long.
Normally we would say never leave food out for more than two hours, but in the summertime, when its hot, foods should not sit out for more than one hour.
Following these important food safety tips will ensure a very safe and sane Fourth of July Holiday. You can also call the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MP Hotline or visit ask-karin-dot-gov online.
I’m Cathy Isom…
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