Chill so Food Won't Make You Ill
Posted on: Friday, 4 July 2008, 15:00 CDT
Experts at Health Canada warn that as temperatures go up so do the risks of food-borne illness.
They recommend taking a digital instant read-out thermometer along on picnics or barbecues and testing to make sure meat is cooked to the temperature needed to kill bacteria.
Traditional visual cues like color are not a guarantee that food is safe, the experts said in a statement. Don't guess!
Health Canada also advises to:
-- Keep hands and surfaces that touch food clean. Wash hands in soap and hot water for 20 seconds after handling raw meat, touching pets, going to the bathroom or diapering a baby.
-- Separate raw meats and poultry from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination. Wrap securely and put raw meat at the bottom of a cooler to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods. Don't use plates, utensils, and cutting boards that touched raw meat or poultry for cooked foods without washing them well, first.
-- Cook food properly.
-- Chill food well. Perishable foods that are normally kept in the refrigerator -- such as luncheon meats, cooked meat, chicken, potato or pasta salads -- must be kept in an insulated cooler at a temperature near 40 degrees Fahrenheit using freezer packs or ice.
Source: United Press International
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