The holiday weekend approaches, with plans for picnics, cookouts, reunions, and fun!  At the same time we’re hearing about a recall of nearly 2 million pounds of ground beef that is possibly contaminated with E. coli bacteria.  How can you be sure about the safety of the food you’re serving your family?

You are right to be cautious.  Foodborne illnesses can be very serious, even deadly.  E. coli, in particular, can cause organ failure, and children may be especially vulnerable.

Here are some basic rules to keep in mind.

• Cook ground meats ALL the way through.  Pink interiors mean raw meat, and when that meat is ground, microbes that used to be on the surface of the meat can now be deep inside it.  If the meat is fully cooked, any E. coli should be taken care of.
• Cook poultry completely through.  Chicken, in particular, can be contaminated with Salmonella.
• Don’t reuse the plate that held raw meat or poultry.  It must be washed before being used to hold cooked meat or other foods.  The same goes with knives and other utensils.
• Keep food separate.  Fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be stored in the same container with uncooked meat and poultry, for example.
• Chill leftovers soon.  This is important when you’re at a picnic and far from your refrigerator.  Take a cooler and ice packs.
• Keep your hands clean.  Wash them often.  Take hand sanitizer on your picnic.  Don’t change a baby’s diaper while preparing food.
• Wash your fruits and vegetables.  When you clean poultry in the sink, be sure to sanitize the sink afterwards so that you don’t contaminate food, dishes and utensils.

More information is available here from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A fun holiday is a safe holiday.  Enjoy the time together and have a great weekend!

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved