From Juneteenth to Labor Day: Essential Summer Grilling Food Safety Tips!

Summer is synonymous with sizzling barbeques/ With holidays like Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and more just around the corner, there's plenty of grilling to be done! But it's crucial to prioritize food safety to avoid spoiling the fun with a case of foodborne illness. These are the essential food safety tips you need to keep your summer celebrations a delicious success. 

Keep It Clean

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Do so for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat, poultry, and eggs.
• Clean and sanitize surfaces often. To sanitize surfaces, use a solution of regular household bleach and warm water. Add about 1 tablespoon of bleach to 2 gallons of water for the right concentration. Sanitize by first washing and rinsing the surface and then immersing, spraying, or swabbing with the bleach solution.

Prevent Cross-Contamination

• Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods. This is crucial to prevent harmful bacteria from spreading.
• Don't use the same cutting board for everything. Use different cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and wash, rinse, and sanitize them thoroughly after each use.
• Never use the same plate for holding raw meat and transporting cooked meat. This is a common mistake that can lead to cross-contamination.

Wash Fruits and Vegetables

• Be sure to wash all produce thoroughly before use. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water to remove dirt and bacteria. Thoroughly clean the outer surface before slicing and keep work surfaces and utensils clean and sanitized.
• Handle all cut melons carefully, including cantaloupe and watermelon. Promptly refrigerate sliced melon at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) or lower.

The Danger Zone: Keep Foods at Safe Temperatures

• The "Danger Zone" refers to temperatures between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), where harmful bacteria multiply rapidly.
• Keep hot foods steaming (above 140°F) using chafing dishes or warming trays.
• Nest cold dishes like potato salad and deviled eggs on a bed of ice (below 40°F).
• Perishable foods without a proper heating or cooling source need to be refrigerated within 2 hours (or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F) according to the FDA.

Grill to a Safe Internal Temperatures

Ensure you cook meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures using a food thermometer:

• Pork or beef ribs: 145°F with a 3-minute rest before serving.
• Burgers: 160°F, measured in the thickest part of the patty.
• Jerk Chicken: 165°F

Leftovers and Takeout: Safe Food Handling Practices

• Don't let leftovers languish! Properly store them in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly after the celebration. Avoid reusing the same plate that held raw meat for cooked food. This can cause cross-contamination.
• Ordering takeout? Remember the 2-hour rule for safe handling of takeout food.
• The FDA recommends leaving cooked food out for no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F). This ensures bacteria doesn't have a chance to multiply to harmful levels.

By following these simple food safety tips, your summer celebrations will be delicious and safe events for everyone.