The truth is that even that innocent-looking chicken salad may cause illness. When food is held at temperatures ranging from 40 to 140 F, bacteria can multiply. When the temperature hits 90 to 110 F, especially when conditions are humid, bacteria really goes wild. And when you prepare, transport and eat your food outdoors, you unwittingly provide contamination pitfalls that you don't usually encounter in the kitchen or at the dining room table.
The good news is: The causes may be intricate, but protecting yourself can be incredibly easy and, once you know the rules and reasoning behind them, even intuitive. We've gone through the latest information and talked to some key experts to put together a definitive situation-by-situation cheat sheet to make sure your summer meals are just as safe as they are mouthwatering.
The Basics
Wash your hands. Touch a contaminated food or surface, and you're giving any bacteria on it a new place to multiply, not to mention a free ride to your mouth or other foods. Luckily, stopping the problem is fast, basic and effective.
"Hand washing is one of the easiest, safest ways to get rid of bacteria," says Maryn McKenna, an infectious disease expert and author of "Superbug: the Fatal Menace of MSRA". "The 'soapiness' in soap is a mix of molecules that attract dirt and bacteria and dissolve oil, allowing those things to be rinsed away by water. The friction of rubbing your hands together helps, too. It loosens the dirt and bacteria from your skin."
Twenty seconds is considered a good amount of time to wash. In case you won't have access to soap and water, carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizing gel or spray. It works by killing the bacteria on your skin. Rubbing your hands after you've applied it will loosen and "rinse" away the bacteria. But it won't remove dirt, so lather up again when you have the chance.
Wash any produce and keep everything clean. We used to think of food poisoning as a meat-related concern, but similar microbes can thrive in fruits and vegetables. And in recent years, these cases have been on the rise. Leafy greens alone, for example, are now responsible for nearly a quarter of nonmeat-related outbreaks, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. That said, washing produce with water and rubbing or patting it dry with a paper towel or clean cloth is very effective in loosening and removing bacteria. Don't neglect items with rinds or peels you don't eat. Contaminants can be transferred to the fruit or vegetable's flesh when you hold or peel it.
Keep cold cold and hot hot. The longer prepared food sits out, the more time bacteria have to multiply. Eat hot foods soon after they're cooked and cold ones close to when they've been taken out of the fridge or cooler (which should always be kept at temperatures below 40 F). Taking into account exactly how fast the multiplying process happens, the USDA recommends discarding any dish that has been sitting out for two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees (when bacteria can nearly double in growth in just 30 minutes), throw food away after an hour. Lastly, when packing the fridge or cooler, don't overstuff; it's important to let air circulate to keep temperature low and even. For leftovers, use small, shallow containers. They'll help things cool down faster.
Outdoor Eating/Traveling With Food
Optimize temperatures. "All foods can be safe if they're kept at the right temperature," says dietician Joan Salge Blake, a nutrition professor at Boston University and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "The trick is simply to plan ahead."
For cold foods, try to prepare them early and store them in the fridge for a few hours. Putting dishes in the cooler when they're already chilled helps them stay bug-free longer. The same rule works for hot foods you want to pack: Prepare or buy them ahead of time, cool them off in the fridge and pack them in the cooler.
Pack wisely. Always use an insulated cooler for transport. If you have extra room, you can pack a bag of ice or some frozen bottles of drinking water to help maintain the low temperature. The one thing you don't want to do is to keep opening and closing the lid. If you think it's going to be a long day of reaching for water bottles or soda cans, pack the drinks in a separate cooler. When carrying meat for grilling, wrap it up securely (if possible, in a separate cooler). And never, ever cook something partially and take it to finish cooking later -- you're creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
Know the enemy. We often blame mayonnaise for salads gone bad, but in truth, the problem often lies with the other ingredients.. Eggs, for example, are the second worst nonmeat source of food poisoning, and potatoes take a surprising fifth place (right behind oysters!), according to the CDC. It's also important to be aware that a fruit's skin is its protection. Once a piece of fruit has been sliced up, it reacts like a prepared food and should be discarded within two hours. Overall, keep things fresh by serving only what you think you'll eat at that time, and -- if possible -- putting cold salads and fruits on cool surfaces. You can even get fancy and pour some ice in a large bowl and use it as a platter (leave the foods in their own bowls or containers).
Outdoor Cooking/Grilling
Handle your meat carefully from the start. Meat is still the No. 1 source of foodborne illness, and the stakes are at their absolute worst when it's raw. Your best protection is to minimize the time meat sits out or is exposed to other things. Begin your defensive strategy as early as when you're still at the market. Pick up your meat last, pack it separately from your produce (sometimes packages of meat can leak) and keep the car cool on the ride home.
When manning the grill, use different (even color-coded) plates and utensils for raw meat, cooked meat and produce. Opt for plastic, nonporous cutting boards over wood (a hotbed for bacteria) and frequently wipe things down with a paper towel or very clean cloth. After the meal, wash them in the dishwasher.
Be smart with both marinades and defrosting. Again, it's important to minimize the time meat sits out. Always marinate in the fridge. The same goes for defrosting. Because the outside of a cut of meat thaws faster than the inside, microbes have ample opportunity to gather on the outer layers and multiply if thawing is done at room temperature. When time is a concern, you can speed things up by thawing under cold running water. If you defrost -- or start to cook -- in the microwave, be sure to transfer directly to the grill to prevent bacterial growth. Finally, no matter how rushed you are, never cook something frozen on the grill: The outside will crisp up while the inside is still getting started.
Mind the temperature. Keep a meat thermometer handy. It is a crucial piece of equipment. And don't trust the way meat looks, says Salge Blake. "Twenty-five percent of hamburgers turn brown before they've reached the safe temperature of 160 degrees in the center."
Note that chicken and precooked meats such as hot dogs need to cook to a higher temperature (165 F) to be safe. Keep food that's done and waiting to be served at a safe heat by moving it to the side of the grill rack. It will stay warm but won't cook up much more.
In the Car
A new British study found that germs associated with food poisoning can (and do) thrive on the steering wheels, gear sticks and door handles of cars. Heat, of course, makes the problem even worse, so avoid parking in the sun and avoid leaving food on car seats and surfaces. If you're snacking in the car, be sure to carry some hand sanitizer and definitely wash your hands between a car ride and any meals.
At the Game or Amusement Park
"Focus on how the food is being produced," says McKenna. "Can you see whether things that ought to be hot are being kept hot and that cold foods are staying cold? Can you see any evidence that workers are washing their hands or at least have access to soap and water? With street food and park food, it's important to listen to your instincts -- if the situation looks funny to you, walk away."
If You Think You've Eaten Something Bad
Food poisoning symptoms typically begin about two to six hours after you've eaten something contaminated and tend to include nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea and overall weakness. The most important step you can take at home is to drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. Call your doctor if the sickness last more than two to three days, you find blood in your stools or you have a fever above 101 F. If you have heart palpitations (beyond just being nervous) or excessive bleeding right away or if you can't keep fluids down, head to the emergency room.
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