Picnic Pointers

Summer is upon us, and that means more chances to get outside and enjoy picnics with friends and family.  Unfortunately, food poisoning can be a risk in hot weather, as illness-causing bacteria grow rapidly in any temperature above 40 degrees. Here are some tips to ensure you have nothing but good memories of this year's outings!

Preventive Measures
1. Use plenty of ice or cold packs in your coolers. Keep drinks in a separate cooler so you're not always opening and closing the one with the food. Keep raw meats in their own cooler and ready-to-eat products in another. If you're not using ice packs, it's best to use a cooler with a drain plug.
2. Be sure to thoroughly chill foods you've cooked before packing them in the cooler.
3. Meats should be thawed in the refrigerator at home and then kept on ice until right before cooking.
4. Carry coolers in the air-conditioned interior of your car rather than in the trunk. When you get to your destination, place the coolers in the shade.
5. Remember the two-hour rule: That's the maximum amount of time food should be left unrefrigerated. On very hot days, a more realistically safe time is about one hour. Discard leftovers. 
6. Be especially wary of mayonnaise, which is typically used in potato and macaroni salads as well as sandwiches. Mayonnaise contains eggs and is susceptible to the growth of bacteria.
7. If you plan to munch on a melon, remember to wash it thoroughly before cutting into it with a clean knife. Discard any cut melon not eaten after three hours.
8. One of the most common causes of food poisoning is undercooked meats, so use a thermometer when grilling and be sure to cook meats thoroughly. Beef should be cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees, poultry to at least 180 degrees, and fish to at least 140 degrees. To test the internal temperature of a burger, hold the patty with tongs, and then push a probe-type thermometer into the side until it reaches the center of the burger.

Food Poisoning Symptoms
            1.         upset stomach
            2.         nausea and vomiting
            3.         abdominal cramps
            4.         diarrhea, sometimes containing blood
            5.         fever and chills
            6.         weakness
            7.         headache
            8.         dehydration 

 

 

selected sources "Don't Spoil a Good Picnic," University of Missouri, News Bureau, 4/30/08  }  "Food Poisoning," Medline Plus, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/, 5/11/06  }  "USDA Offers Picnicking Tips for Summertime Food Safety," http://www.fsis.usda.gov/  }  "Use a Thermometer When Grilling Burgers," Iowa State University, University Extension, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/, 5/10/05  }  "What Are Safe Grilling Practices?" http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca/, 6/2/03