With summer just barely beginning, its almost guaranteed that you will yourself invited to a summer barbecue or outdoor picnic. The warmer weather conditions may be ideal for some fun in the sun, but they also provide a perfect environment for bacteria and other pathogens in food to multiply rapidly and cause foodborne illness. The following tips will help you to make sure you are serving food safely, and enjoy your summer festivities without a care in the world.
For fresh foods like salads, veggies, and fruit, do your best to keep them cold! Insulated coolers with ice packs or frozen gel packs will keep food colder longer, and will prevent bacterial growth on your snacks! Once you’ve served it, it should not sit out for longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90° F. If it does, throw it out! Not even the ripest of strawberries are worth getting sick over.
Organizing your cooler contents is also an important thing to remember. Being organized will help you to prevent cross contamination between things like meats and fresh produce. Keeping raw meats, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped and separate from the produce will keep juices from contaminating any prepared foods.
Another good idea to maintain freshness is by separating drinks from your foods. Often times, the drink cooler is opened much more often than the food coolers are – perishable foods will have a fighting chance in a separate cooler, and will ensure that you are able to serve food safely.
Of course, what’s a picnic without some good old fashioned grilling? It should go without saying, but be sure to cook your food thoroughly. To be safe, always use a food thermometer on meat and poultry products. Steaks and roasts are at a safe temp of 145 degrees, while poultry is slightly higher with a safe temperature of about 165 degrees.
Finally, to be sure you are serving food safely, make you are not using the same platter or utensils that held raw meat, poultry, or seafood allows bacteria from the raw food’s juices to spread to the cooked food. Instead, have a clean platter and utensils ready.
It has been estimated that 48 million Americans get it every year. While a scary statistic, it is completely avoidable if you know how to prevent it. Follow these simple tips for serving food safely to make sure that you and your loved ones stay safe and happy all summer long.
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Wakati wa majira ya joto, ni karibu uhakika kwamba wewe mwenyewe kualikwa kwa barbeque majira ya joto au picnic nje. Hali ya hewa ya joto inaweza kuwa bora kwa ajili ya baadhi ya furaha katika jua, lakini pia kutoa mazingira kamili kwa bakteria na vimelea vingine katika chakula kuzidisha haraka na kusababisha magonjwa yanayopitishwa na chakula. Vidokezo vifuatavyo vitakusaidia kuhakikisha kwamba unatoa chakula kwa usalama, na kufurahia sherehe zako za majira ya joto bila kujali katika ulimwengu. Kwa vyakula safi kama vile saladi, mboga, na matunda, fanya yote uwezayo kuyaweka baridi! Vifaa vya kupoza vilivyo na barafu au vipande vya gel vilivyohifadhiwa vitahifadhi chakula kikiwa baridi kwa muda mrefu zaidi, na vitazuia bakteria kusitawi kwenye vyakula vyako! Baada ya kuitolea, haipaswi kukaa nje kwa zaidi ya saa mbili, au saa moja ikiwa joto la nje ni juu ya 90 ° F. Ikiwa ndivyo, itupe nje! Hata jordgubbar zilizokomaa si za kusababisha ugonjwa. Pia ni muhimu kukumbuka jinsi ya kupanga vitu vilivyo katika chombo chako cha baridi. Kuandaa chakula kitakusaidia kuzuia kuambukizwa kwa vitu kama vile nyama na vyakula vipya. Kuhifadhi nyama mbichi, kuku, na vyakula vya baharini vimefungwa kwa usalama na kutenganishwa na mazao ya chakula, kutazuia maji ya matunda yasichafue vyakula vyovyote vilivyotengenezwa. Njia nyingine nzuri ya kuhifadhi ladha ni kuondoa vinywaji kwenye chakula. Mara nyingi, baridi ya kinywaji hufunguliwa mara nyingi zaidi kuliko baridi ya chakula - vyakula vinavyoharibika vitakuwa na nafasi ya kupigana katika baridi tofauti, na itahakikisha kuwa unaweza kuhudumia chakula kwa usalama. Bila shaka, ni nini picnic bila baadhi ya nzuri ya zamani grilling? Ni lazima ufanye hivyo, lakini hakikisha kwamba unafanya chakula chako kiwe tayari. Ili uwe salama, sikuzote tumia kipima-joto cha chakula kwenye nyama na bidhaa za kuku. Steaks na roasts ni katika joto salama ya 145 ° C, wakati kuku ni kidogo juu na joto salama ya karibu 165 ° C. Mwishowe, kuhakikisha kwamba wewe ni kuwahudumia chakula salama, kufanya wewe si kutumia sahani sawa au vyombo kwamba uliofanyika nyama mbichi, kuku, au samaki inaruhusu bakteria kutoka juisi ya chakula mbichi kuenea kwa chakula kupikwa. Badala yake, uwe na sahani safi na vyombo tayari. Inakadiriwa kuwa Wamarekani milioni 48 hupata ugonjwa huo kila mwaka. Ingawa ni takwimu ya kutisha, inaweza kuepukwa kabisa ikiwa unajua jinsi ya kuizuia. Fanya kama ilivyoelezwa hapa chini ili kuhakikisha wewe na wapendwa wako mko salama na furaha wakati wote wa majira ya joto. Imetengenezwa na Keeping it Kleen