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Summertime meals are not always a picnic
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6/16/2011
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Article Content ODA offers timely advice on summer food safety
It's the time of the year for barbecues, camping trips, and picnics in Oregon. It's also a good time to remind consumers that many seasonal foods on the summer menu require a little extra precaution before eating.
"This time of year always presents challenges simply because a lot of the cooking takes place outdoors," says Susan Kendrick, food safety specialist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "Consumers need to make sure they are properly washing their hands, keeping foods under proper temperature control, and preventing cross contamination."
Certain summer foods are potentially more hazardous than others. There may be certain challenges to good food safety because meal preparation and storage is not necessarily done in the kitchen. There is also the issue of who is doing the cooking. It may be a seasonal chef who is not always practicing the art of safe food preparation. That includes cooking meats at a proper temperature to kill any food borne pathogens that could cause illness.
"There are various recommended temperatures for different kinds of meats, but the highest temperature is for poultry at 165 degrees Fahrenheit," says Kendrick. "If you want to just keep one number in mind to cover all meats, get the internal temperature to 165 degrees."
Meats on the grill need to be completely cooked. That can often be difficult to determine when hamburger, steak, or chicken is cooked quickly on the outside only to still be undercooked on the inside. Hamburgers with a little pink inside may be okay as long as that desired temperature is reached. Meat thermometers are valuable tools for outdoor cooking. Kendrick also recommends thawing frozen patties to avoid having frozen pockets in the hamburger that may not cook evenly on the grill.
Potentially hazardous foods are not confined to raw meats. Even foods you don't normally cook can be a problem. The recent outbreak of E. coli that has killed more than two dozen people in Europe has been traced to sprouts. Salad greens and melons have also caused food borne illnesses in the past several years.
"Raw produce can be a concern, so make sure you wash it well," says Kendrick. FDA guidelines recommend using water and some scrubbing action. "Avoid some of these foods if you are immune-compromised. Sprouts definitely should be avoided for these folks, especially since they are not usually cooked. Many other produce items that aren't cooked may be of concern."
Melons, once they are cut, need to be under refrigeration. The same is true with cut tomatoes and leafy greens. Refrigeration does slow down growth of food borne pathogens that may be present.
In the past, cases of salmonella poisoning have been traced to the consumption of cantaloupe that had been contaminated, perhaps by animal waste used as fertilizer. Melons, of course, are grown on the ground. People don't normally eat the rind. Problems can take place when the knife used to cut the melon spreads bacteria that may be on the rind to the part of the fruit that is eaten. Consumers are advised to wash the outside rind after buying the melon and make sure any uneaten portions are quickly refrigerated.
Cross contamination is a major concern with food preparation, whether it is done indoors in the middle of winter or outdoors in the heat of the summer. It may not always seem practical, but washing hands is critical.
"You really want to make sure you always wash your hands," says Kendrick. "That's a very common vehicle for transmitting food borne illness."
Barbecuing on the back patio should not pose any handwashing problems, but camping and picnics may be more challenging.
"Set up a temporary handwash station," says Kendrick. "Use a water jug or thermos with a free flowing spout, take some soap and some towels. We don't recommend hand sanitizers for handwashing. Old fashioned soap and water works best."
Cutting boards used in food preparation are also a potential source of problems. Using the same board to cut up chicken and then to chop salad ingredients is not a good idea. Of course, a good cleaning and sanitizing of the cutting board after chopping up raw meat products will minimize the risk. Clean utensils and a clean grill are also good components to a safe summer meal. Using two different tongs or forks- one for putting the raw product onto the grill, the other for taking it off- is recommended.
The proper storage of foods for outdoor eating is also essential. Campers and picnic lovers don't usually pack a refrigerator with them. Potentially hazardous foods need to stay chilled until they are ready for consumption. Packing shelf stable foods that don't require refrigeration is one solution. Leftovers are not a good idea if you are not close to the home refrigerator. Warm summer temperatures also factor into the equation.
"As a general rule, you can have food out for four hours," says Kendrick. "At the end of four hours, you need to throw it away if it's a food that requires refrigeration."
A good approach is to put out only the amount you need to keep from having food sit out too long. The longer refrigerated food can remain in the cooler or ice chest, the better. Planning ahead and packing just the right amount of food for the outing can help prevent potential problems.
One more bit of advice for families with kids- youngsters may not be ready to eat when everyone else is. Packing some non-potentially hazardous foods like a peanut butter sandwich, chips, or a dried fruit roll will allow them to play a couple of hours before eating.
Despite all the warnings and precautions, summer continues to be a great time to enjoy food. With a little common sense, those foods can be safe as well as delicious.
For more information, contact Susan Kendrick at (503) 533-0835.
Story of the Week pdf version
http://oregon.gov/ODA/docs/pdf/news/110616summer_foods.pdf
Audio Story of the Week
http://oregon.gov/ODA/news/110616summer_foods_audio.shtml
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