Planning for Summer Food Safety

Kalamazoo MI. – The summer months are a time to enjoy warmth and sunshine, not suffer from food-borne illness. While traveling and preparing food out-of-doors, the rule of keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot still applies.

Meat and poultry products may contain bacteria that cause food-borne illness. They must be cooked to destroy these bacteria and held at temperatures that are either too hot or too cold for these bacteria to grow.

Most bacteria do not grow rapidly at temperatures below 40 degrees F or above 140 degrees F. Bacteria can multiply quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F. Bacteria in food can reach dangerous levels within two hours of being left in this “danger zone”, or one hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees F.

A cooler is essential for transporting perishable foods. It is difficult to keep foods hot without a heat source, so it is best to transport chilled foods. Refrigerate or freeze the food overnight. Pack food right from the refrigerator in the cooler before leaving home. Pack coolers with ice, block of ice or frozen gel-packs.

Store food in watertight containers to prevent contact with melting ice. A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than one that is partially filled. Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car or shaded or covered with a blanket. Plan ahead and take along only the amount of food that can be eaten. All perishable foods should be discarded if ice is no longer in the cooler or gel-packs have thawed.

When transporting raw meat and poultry products, double wrap packages or place them in plastic bags to prevent juices from the raw foods dripping on other foods. If bacteria are present on raw meat or poultry, they can be easily spread to other foods in juices dripping from packages, hands or utensils. This is called cross-contamination. Wash hands before and after handling raw food, and do not use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Bring your own soap and water or disposable wipes if hand-washing facilities are not available.

Remember the danger zone and keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Keep meat and poultry products below 40 degrees F. Pack your cooler with enough ice to maintain proper temperatures for the time that you will be traveling. Keep raw foods separate from other foods to avoid cross-contamination. Dispose of all foods if ice has melted or gel-packs have thawed. Finally, bring disposable wipes or soap and water to wash hands and dishes.

For more information about the nutrition program at MSU Extension in Kalamazoo call 384-8063 or e-mail to byrdle@msu.edu or visit our web site at www.kalcounty.com/msue.

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MSU Extension is an Affirmative-Action Equal-Opportunity Institution. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status.

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