If you’re like most Americans, you’ll be barbecuing or maybe using that extra day away from the office to relax. Whatever the case, food will no doubt play an important this holiday weekend. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 21 percent of contaminated food is consumed in a home setting. That number may seem small in comparison to 48 percent of contaminated food being eaten in restaurants, yet illnesses spread by eating under-cooked and contaminated food–including E. Coli in beef and Salmonella in pork–can cause death. Food safety expert Doug Powell and other food educators took a moment to share some tips on staying healthy during the upcoming July 4th holiday with USA Today.
For starters, Powell suggests you always use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat you’re eating isn’t a breeding ground for bugs. Before you plop that juicy hamburger on your plate, insert a thermometer sideways, or through the top, Powell suggested. Temperatures of beef hamburgers should reach 160 degrees to kill off germs that can survive extreme heat, Benjamin Chapman, assistant professor of food safety at North Carolina State University and a food safety specialist at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension said. An important thing to remember is that temperature matters much more than the color of that well done burger.
Secondly, keep a cooler on deck. Coolers are important, yes, to keep those drinks cool but more importantly to keep picnic foods like potato salad cool. Fruits, especially cantaloupes, can spread food borne illnesses quicker than watermelon or honeydew because their soft, bumpy skin is a sponge for bacteria. Powell suggests you stay away from store bought fruit slices. Rather, you should slice the fruit yourself and keep those slices refrigerated to slow down any bacterial growth.
Among other useful tips to consider before sparking up that grill, food safety experts suggest you stay away from sprouts, raw shellfish such as oysters, and raw milk. Sprouts and raw milks may contain dangerous bacteria, including salmonella, listeria, campylobacter and brucella, according to the CDC. A surprising nugget of knowledge for most people is not to wash poultry and other meat because “it just spreads bugs” according to Powell.
You may not be the most appreciated guest at the party if you follow these tips but at least you’ll leave the barbecue the same way you came. Like the old saying, “You can’t eat everyone’s food just because you have the opportunity.” For other helpful tips on food education and safety visit Powell’s site BarfBlog.