Don’t let food poisoning ruin your Memorial weekend. It’s important to make sure you’re practicing proper food safety techniques while you’re camping and grilling this weekend.

When packing raw meat for picnics and camping make sure to thaw or defrost it at home first. You should put your meat at the bottom of the cooler so the juices don’t drip down and cross contaminate the other food.

Here are a few food safety techniques to keep in mind this weekend.

You can use a moist towelette but soap and water work best.  When you’re ready to start grilling you should take extra precaution to make sure that you don’t cross contaminate your marinade.

Chicken, hamburger, hot dogs and other ground meats should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Pork loins can be taken off of the grill when they reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You should invest in a meat thermometer because that is the only sure way to tell if your meat is cooked thoroughly.

You can avoid cross contamination by putting your cooked meat on a new plate when you’re taking it off of the grill. People often times forget to use a different spatula when taking food off of the grill.

Bacteria grow faster in the temperature danger zone. Cold salads can be out of the fridge at room temperature for up to two hours. The threat of food poisoning increases after one hour if the temperature outside reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. You should keep your food in a shaded area if possible. Symptoms of food poisoning according to the CDC include vomiting and diarrhea and typically take about four to six hours to develop.

Keep these tips in mind and have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

 

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