families and friends are gathering for Memorial Day, grills are firing up, and food is laid out for the perfect holiday celebration. However, some simple mistakes could turn that planned cookout into a health hazard.
“Biggest mistakes when they’re doing cookouts, they’re leaving food out way too long before the actual service and that’s where many of the foodborne illnesses come into play,” said DCH Executive Chef Eric Sprague.
Food poisoning can be a minor inconvenience for some, like young adults, but it can be life-threatening for older adults, children, or pregnant women. That’s why Chef Sprague says to stick to the 40 to 140 degree rule, where you want to stay either above or below these temperatures to prevent food poisoning.
“Keep your coleslaws and potato salads in a cooler or refrigerator for as long as possible, and then put them out for service,” said Chef Sprague. “Once service is done, put them back away so they have time to chill down before you have a lot of bacteria in them.”
Bacterial growth is particularly prone in mayonnaise dishes. To keep safe, cook your meat last and in time with the party, avoid cross-contamination of different food items, refrigerate leftovers quickly, and reheat cooked food to 165 degrees.
“If you go to a family reunion, and somebody gets there at 9 o’clock in the morning and they put their potato salad on the bench to eat, and you’re not eating until one, you might want to stay away from that, so you want to be inquisitive,” said Chef Sprague.
Food safety is all about time and temperature. The USDA reports food poisoning is more common during high heat months, because bacteria multiply faster and make food easier to become contaminated.
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