Food Safety Tips for Outdoor Cooking


Each year, the U.S. Public Health Service documents hundreds of cases of people who suffer the consequences of food-borne illness while on an outing (especially during holidays), and attributes most all of them to human carelessness.

Many people get caught up in the holiday spirit of eating, drinking, and being merry in the yard or while camping, cruising, or picnicking, take a holiday from taking care of their food--sometimes with disastrous results.

This does not have to happen to you. All you need to do is take a few proper common-sense precautions, and you won't be in any greater danger of being poisoned while eating outdoors than you would be while eating indoors at home.

Disease-producing bacteria prefer certain types of food, particularly those high in protein and moisture, such as milk, milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, cream pies, custards and potato salad (outdoor cooking and eating favorites). For this reason, we refer to these types of foods as potentially hazardous. After preparation, these foods must be kept either hot or cold.

Hot is 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Cold is 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Temperatures between 45 and 140 degrees are unsafe. Disease-producing bacteria grow most rapidly at the middle of this temperature range.

If you have little or no facilities for maintaining these foods hot or cold, DO NOT TAKE THEM! Instead, plan your picnics (or other outings) around canned, preserved or dehydrated food, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Keep preparation time to a minimum (in other words, for example, don't stop to talk on your cell phone in the middle of making a potato salad) and keep foods at a safe temperature during transportation. Disease-producing bacteria multiply quickly--in as little as the few hours normally encountered between the preparation and serving at a picnic (or other outing). Even small numbers of bacteria can grow sufficiently to produce illness.

The bacterial growth in sandwiches can be reduced by using frozen slices of bread together with chilled (45 degrees or below) fillings. They then should be wrapped tightly in a plastic film wrapper and placed in the cooler. They will then stay cold.

Do not refrigerate in deep containers. Food acts as an insulator and the center of large masses can be warm for long periods of time though the outer edges may be almost frozen. Use shallow pans and fill no more than three to four inches deep.

You need to remember, refrigeration does not kill disease-producing bacteria. It only slows their growth.
Do not put food in ice unless the ice has been produced from water of drinking quality, and unless the food can be washed (fruit and vegetables) or is sealed in a protective covering. Foods that are not otherwise protected should be sealed in clean plastic containers before placing on ice. (Don't wash dishes in a stream, or lake that might contain polluted water.)

Cover the serving area (ground, blanket or table) with a table cloth to provide a clean surface on which to place food. Food should be kept covered except when being prepared or served.

Return leftover potentially hazardous food to the ice-chest immediately after the meal. If there is no ice left, or the food has been at an unsafe temperature for long meal periods, THROW IT OUT!

The best plan is to limit food quantities so there will be no leftovers. Don't make the mistake of serving foods at lunchtime, then leaving them unrefrigerated to serve again later in the day.