Food Poisoning: What It Is and How to Prevent It

With summer comes picnics, barbecues and lots of outdoor eating. A warm afternoon surrounded by family, friends and awesome food is a time we all look forward to after the dreary winter. But, after eating all that yummy food, if you end up sick due to food poisoning, it can spoil all the outdoor fun. Applying a few basic food safety rules can boost your chances of having a safe and enjoyable summer. What Is Food Poisoning? Eating food contaminated by bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria and Escherichia coli causes food poisoning in the summer. The warm weather encourages the growth of the bacteria leading to food-borne illnesses. However taking precautions while cooking, packing, transporting and storing the food can make it safe and healthy. The toxins released by these bacteria in the contaminated food causes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps or diarrhea. It’s a mild illness (even though it doesn’t feel like it at the time) and generally goes away in one or two days. Although it’s not very serious, it can cast a pall on your grand picnic or barbecue.

Tips on Preventing Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is more common during the summer months. Here, are a few tips that will help you keep your food safe: If you’re shopping for frozen food items, make sure that you immediately come home and store them in your refrigerator. Frozen food is only good while it’s in a cold environment. If left out in room temperature for too long, it’s a thriving place for bacteria to grow. When buying seafood, make sure you buy only what is fresh and kept on ice or frozen. Do not buy any food item that is outdated, has a broken seal or cans that have dents. Keep bags of raw meat, poultry or fish separate from other food items. Wash cutting boards carefully after each use. Use one board for meats and fish and another one for everything else. Scrub the grill and utensils you’re going to use for the barbecue using hot, soapy water. Clean the cooler and other containers you’re taking to your picnic. Before you cook or clean, wash your hands using soap and water. Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before cooking or eating them. Cut fruits are frequently served in picnics. Once you cut them, store them in a refrigerator or any other cool place. Prepare the picnic foods only on the day of the event or a day before; never make them too far in advance unless you’re freezing them. Cook beef to a temperature of 160 degrees F, poultry to 165 F and fish to at least 140 F. Use a food thermometer to take the temperatures. Remember to wash it carefully after using it. Do not eat any beef, hamburger, fish or poultry that’s undercooked. Read the label on packaged food to know how to use it and how to store it.

Try to cool the cooked food down as quickly as possible to avoid bacterial growth. While going on a picnic, ensure that you have a cooler to keep all the perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, rice or pasta cold. Consider taking nonperishable items such as baked potato chips, whole fruits, cookies or brownies for outdoor meals. Once you’re ready to leave, transfer the food from your refrigerator directly to the cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. Store beverages in a separate cooler to avoid any cross-contamination. While traveling, keep the cooler in an air-conditioned vehicle and in the shade during the meal. Repack the food as soon as everyone is finished. Carry enough clean utensils or disposable plates to avoid cross-contamination. Do not open the cooler every now and then. Open it only when necessary to allow the temperature inside to remain cold. If you find any food that has an unusual odor or something appears wrong, do not eat it. If something is spoiled, do not store it in a closed container, it will aggravate the growth of the bacteria further and might even contaminate other food items. Throw away anything that’s already spoiled. Do not drink water from streams or wells. You can take your own supply of water in bottles or buy bottled water.

Extra measures need to be taken during the summertime while going on picnics, camping or barbecuing. Warm weather aids the growth of the bacteria, so the food spoils more quickly than it would in any other months of the year. Since food is the center of a lot of our activity, it should be enjoyed. You can have a safe outing by carefully planning outdoor meals.


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