Officials with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are reminding people to keep it safe this weekend especially while cooking outdoors. Warmer temperatures are likely to result in family and friends gathering in America’s backyards.
Rates of foodborne illness tend to increase during the summer months because germs grow faster in warmer, more humid weather. People are cooking and eating outside, making shortcuts to food safety tempting because they are away from the convenience of soap and running water at the kitchen sink.
“Memorial Day marks the beginning of warmer weather and summer fun,” said Sandra Eskin, USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. “Don’t let foodborne illness ruin the cookout –follow food safety guidelines like washing your hands, thoroughly cooking your food and checking food temperature with a thermometer.”
One important lesson for grillers is to remember that color is never a reliable indicator of safety and doneness. Use a food thermometer to ensure the following safe internal temperatures.
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- Cook poultry (whole or ground) to 165° F
- Cook beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to 145° F
- For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
- Cook ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to 160° F
- Cook egg dishes to 160° F
- Cook fish to 145° F
- Don’t have a food thermometer? Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to get a free one
When using already tenderized meats that have marinades added, including cuts that are prepackaged in marinades, remember to cook thoroughly to ensure food safety.
- If the outside of the meat contains bacteria, it will be transferred to the inside of the meat during mechanical tenderization, requiring it to be cooked to kill the germs.
- The best way to ensure a worry-free barbecue is to thoroughly cook mechanically tenderized meat. Use your food thermometer and follow USDA’s recommendations for safe internal temperatures mentioned above.
When the temperature outside rises above 90° F, perishable foods such as meat and poultry, dips and cold salads or cut fruits and vegetables are only safe to sit outside for 1 hour. After 1 hour, harmful bacteria, which can cause foodborne illness, may start to grow. To prevent this, keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
When cooking outside, make sure to have hand sanitizer or moist towelettes available to keep your hands clean before, during and after food preparation.
- Use warm, soapy water to wash hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.
- Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Use alcohol-based moist towelettes to sanitize cutting boards or utensils.
Anyone with questions about food safety are encouraged to contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety expert or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 7am to 3pm (PT), Monday through Friday.
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