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Safe
Picnic food
By
Becky McCully Varner
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Picnic season is here, and picnics
are a great part of summertime fun. This is a
good time to review food safety guidelines so that fun
is not spoiled by food-borne illness that can occur
from improperly prepared or stored picnic food.
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| The first guideline is to
wash your hands carefully with soap before handling food.
This is so basic. Yet, it is so easy for people to get
in a hurry and forget to wash their hands. Bacteria are
everywhere, and we take in millions daily, some good and
some bad. Careful hand washing before preparing, serving
and eating foods, combined with good food-handling practices,
reduces considerably the number of bacteria we take in
and greatly reduces the chances of becoming ill. |
aBe
sure to pack premoistened towelettes designed to
clean hands for
people to wash their hands before handling or consuming
food at
the picnic.
aBe
sure to keep cold foods cold. Use clean, insulated
coolers
that are chilled with ice or chemical cold packs
for all perishables and foods served cold. The cooler
should be packed with 75 percent food and 25 percent
ice or frozen packs. Freeze cold packs for at least
24 hours so they will stay cold as long as possible.
Also,
chill the cooler ahead of time. Packing the cooler
with a bag of ice
can do this. Secure the lid and keep the cooler
closed as much as
possible.
aPack
foods that are already cold or frozen. Don't assume
that the
cooler will adequately cool foods that are packed
at room
temperature. Pack perishable foods between ice or
cold packs,
and they will stay cold longer.
aBe
sure food is sealed tightly in bags, jars or plastic
containers. This keeps the
moisture out of the food, and it keeps the bugs
out of the food when the food is
removed from the cooler at the picnic site.
aBe
careful about sealing uncooked meat, poultry or
fish that will be grilled at the picnic, so juices
do not leak on to other foods.
aKeep
the cooler in a cool place such as in the shade
under a tree or picnic table. Do not keep it the
hot trunk of the car or in the sun.
aReturn
perishable foods to the cooler immediately after
serving. Serve only the amount of food that will
be eaten right away. Be sure the food is not left
on a plate to be finished later. Keep the rest of
the food in the cooler until ready to be eaten.
aRemember
to keep hot foods hot. Consider hot dishes for nearby
picnics that will be eaten right away.
a
Popular examples are baked beans, fried chicken
and casserole dishes. Wrap containers in several
layers of newspapers and put in an insulated container
designed to keep foods hot. Hot foods should be
more than 140 degrees. Harmful bacteria grow in
lukewarm food.
aHot
food that is not eaten should not be saved and consumed
later. If hot food is put in the cooler after people
finish eating, it will decrease the temperature
in the cooler and not get cold enough to be safe.
aDo
not let the food reach outdoor temperature, go uneaten
for a period of time and then eaten later in the
day. After two hours, these foods should be discarded.
It is simply not worth the risk of someone getting
ill. |
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Food-borne illness can include vomiting,
diarrhea and stomach cramps and can take up to 72 hours
to develop.
Have a great and safe picnic season! |
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