For many people, the upcoming long weekend means a backyard barbecue or family picnic -- events that can easily turn into a nasty bout of food poisoning if the hamburger isn't well cooked or the coleslaw stands around too long. The good news is that most cases of food poisoning can be prevented by handling foods safely. Our nutrition expert, Leslie Beck, joins us to give tips for safe and healthy summertime foods.
Q: Why does food poisoning increase in the summertime?
Food poisoning is caused by bacteria, bacterial toxins and molds in foods. Bacteria are normally present everywhere - in the air, soil, water and in people and animals. But these bacteria grow faster in the warm summer months. They flourish in hot, humid summer weather. But people are also the cause for an increase in food poisoning in the summer. More people are cooking outdoors at picnics, barbecues and on camping trips. The safety controls that a kitchen provides - thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration and washing facilities - are not always available.
Q: How do people know if they have food poisoning?
Common symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes chills and fever. Symptoms can appear a few hours after eating the food or several days, when it is no longer clearly linked to any particular food. That's why many cases are never reported; people often pass symptoms off as the stomach flu or overeating. Because you can't see or smell food poisoning bacteria, there are no clues as too a harmful food. The only strategy to prevent food poisoning is to handle foods safely in the first place.
Q: What are some tips to prevent food poisoning when eating outdoors?
Avoid cross contamination. Bacteria can be unknowingly spread from food to people, people to food, or from one food to another. To prevent cross contamination wash hands often. If you are eating outdoors, bring towelettes or soap and water to clean your hands and surfaces often. If you don't have soap and water available, pack disposable wipes or hand sanitizer. Keep raw foods and ready-to-eat foods separate. Bring extra plates and utensils for handling raw foods and cooked foods to prevent cross contamination.
Cook to proper temperatures. Use a digital, instant-read meat thermometer to ensure meat and poultry is cooked to the right temperature. These thermometers give a temperature reading rather than just a doneness range. Take the temperature from the thickest part of meat, away from the bone, within one minute of removal of heat for thin meats and 5 to 10 minutes for roasts. You should leave the thermometer in the meat for at least 30 seconds. Here are the safe temperatures you should be aiming for:
| Safe cooking temperatures | |
|---|---|
| Burgers, ground beef | 160 F (71 C) |
| Steak, Roasts | 145 F (63 C) Medium Rare |
| Chicken breasts, legs | 170 F(77 C) |
| Ground chicken, turkey | 175 F (80 C) |
Q: Why is it so important to cook hamburgers until well done?
It is very important to cook burgers all the way through -- there should be no pink inside and juices should run clear. Improperly cooked ground meat can cause a food poisoning commonly known as "hamburger disease". This is caused by a bacterium called E. coli 0157, a strain that is very virulent and causes severe food poisoning. E. coli 0157 may be present on the surface of meat. When the meat is put through a grinder the bacteria are then dispersed within the meat. That's why you need to cook burgers all the way through; cook to a temperature of 71F. It's okay to enjoy your steak medium rare because if there are bacteria present, they are only on the surface of the meat and cooking will destroy them.
Q: What about picnicking and camping - how do you keep foods safe?
Pack foods in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Pack foods first that you're likely to use last. Take two coolers - one for cold drinks and another for perishable foods. That way warm air won't get into the perishables every time someone reaches for a drink.
Transport the cooler in the back seat of an air-conditioned car, not the hot trunk. At the picnic or campsite, keep the cooler out of the sun; place it under a tree or cover it with a blanket or tarp. When it comes time to cook, remove from the cooler only the amount of raw meat that will fit on the grill.
In hot weather (32C/90F) don't leave foods sitting out for more than one hour. For temperatures that aren't quite as hot, don't keep foods out for longer than two hours. Food that's left outside too long can look and taste fine, but be teeming with harmful bacteria. When in doubt, throw it out.
Bring hand soap and water to wash your hands before preparing foods and eating. If soap and water aren't available, pack disposable wipes or hand sanitizer.
Finally, drink bottled water or tap water from a safe source. You will need to purify water from lakes or streams even if the water looks clean. Water purification tablets and water filters are available at stores that sell camping gear and outdoor sporting goods.
Food safety for camping and picnics
- Pack two coolers
- Bring hand sanitizer
- Don't let foods sit out more than 1 hour
- Drink bottled or purified water
Q: What about condiments...they're pretty safe aren't they?
Actually they don't last forever, even in the fridge. Once they're opened, flavour not only fades, but mold and bacteria can also grow. Here are some maximum storage times in the fridge for opened jars and bottles:
| Keeping condiments safe | |
|---|---|
| Mustard | 12 months |
| Ketchup | 6 months |
| Barbecue sauce | 4 -6 months |
| Mayonnaise | 6-8 weeks |
| Salsa | 2 weeks |
It's a good idea to date your condiments with a permanent marker once they're opened. When in doubt, throw it out.
