It’s time to fire up the grill. Just make sure you don’t get sick afterwards.
Each year one in six Americans gets sick from consuming contaminated foods or beverages, such as undercoooked chicken or spoiled potato salad, according to federal government figures. Officials estimate that most of the illnesses occur during the warmer months.
Federal agencies issued recommendations last week on how to ensure your big barbecue won’t lead to accusatory phone calls from sick guests later.
To start with, you need a cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs to keep perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood and fruits and vegetables cool. Be sure to also pack the meats and seafood separately so they don’t cross-contaminate, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
In addition, rinse fruits and vegetables and dry them before packing them in the cooler, the FDA added.
But you might not know that a full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one, according to the Department of Agriculture.
In addition, keep the cooler in the shade and not in direct sunlight to ensure the food stays, well, cool. Try to keep lid-opening to a minimum, too.
The USDA recommends that food should be stored in a cooler for no longer than two hours, and only one hour if the air temperature is hotter than 90 degrees, said spokesman Chris Bernstein.
Once the meat has been tossed on the grill, you need to know the best way to actually cook it.
The agency says that ground meats used for hamburgers should be cooked at 160 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry 165 degrees. Beef, steaks, pork, lamb and veal should be cooked at 145 degrees.
But when can you tell that meat or poultry is cooked safely? One common way is actually wrong.
“A lot of people don’t actually understand that you can’t tell by the color or juices running out if something is safe to eat,” said USDA spokesman Chris Bernstein. “USDA research has found that one in four burgers will turn brown completely before it has reached a safe internal temperature.”
Instead, a meat thermometer should be used after the meat and poultry is off the grill. Poultry needs to be at 165 degrees and beef 160 degrees, while fresh ham and pork at 145 degrees after being rested for three minutes.
Make sure to give the meat time to rest, as the temperature remains constant or continues to rise and can destroy harmful germs.
When serving food in hot weather, it should never sit out for more than one hour, the agency noted. The same goes for other fare such as potato salad or dairy products.
In addition, be sure to use a fresh, clean plate and tongs when serving cooked food and never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry.
Bernstein noted that the USDA has a new free app called FoodKeeper, which contains specific guidance on more than 400 foods and drinks. These include safe cooking recommendations and the best way to store food and beverages to ensure they are fresh, the agency said.
The guidelines and new app come about a week after new figures show show infections are down for the most common type of salmonella, a bacteria that can occur from improperly cooked meats.
Salmonella Typhimurium — which has been linked to poultry, beef and other foods — was 27 percent lower in 2014 than it was in 2006 to 2008, according to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, when all types of Salmonella are combined, there was no change in the infection rate last year, the CDC added.
The CDC estimates that about 1.2 million illnesses and about 450 deaths occur due to non-typhoidal Salmonella each year in the U.S.
