Food Safety

When it comes to planning the perfect meal for your family gathering, don't overlook the issue of food safety. The following guidelines will help ensure everyone leaves your family gathering happy and healthy.

Food Preparation

Did your mother tell you "cleanliness is next to godliness?" That may be a stretch, but it is extremely important when preparing food. Keep everything that touches the food clean — hands, utensils, cutting boards, bowls and countertops.
When working with raw meat, poultry and fish, keep the juices from coming in contact with other foods. Thoroughly wash any utensil, platter, bowl or cutting board with warm, soapy water immediately after preparing these products. If possible, have a separate cutting board just for meats.
Thoroughly wash all produce with clean, drinkable water.

Cooking

Probably the single most important rule for food safety is food temperature. Keep hot foods hot (above 140 degrees) and cold foods cold (below 40 degrees). Bacteria multiply fastest between temperatures of 40 and 140 degrees. Remember most food-poisoning bacteria cannot be seen, smelled or tasted.
When preparing food that will be served chilled, allow plenty of time for the food to become 40 degrees. Chilling overnight is best. A cooler will not chill foods that are not already cold. They are for maintaining temperatures only.
Always marinate meat, fish or poultry in a covered container in the refrigerator. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours. Leftover marinade should not be used for basting unless it has been boiled for 1 minute. A better alternative is to mix a double batch of marinade; reserve half for marinating the food and half to use as a basting sauce.
When handling raw meat, fish or poultry, remove from the refrigerator or cooler only the amount of meat that will fit on the grill. To be sure bacteria are destroyed, check the temperature of the meat with an instant-read thermometer.

Cook hamburgers and ribs to 160 degrees or until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Cook poultry to 180 degrees. Steaks should be cooked to at least 140 degrees.
When taking food off the grill, put them on a clean platter. Never put cooked food on a platter containing raw meat drippings or marinade.

Transportation, Serving and Storage

Use separate coolers for beverages and food. Beverage coolers are opened frequently and may cause problems if other foods are packed with them.
Place commercial or homemade ice packs in the cooler. Pack your perishables next to the ice packs. Avoid placing fruits and vegetables directly on the ice to prevent freezing them. Fill the cooler to the top. A full cooler stays cold longer than a partially filled one. If necessary, use additional ice or frozen nonperishables such as juice boxes to fill.
Try to avoid placing the cooler in the trunk of the car. Carrying it in an air-conditioned environment is best. Once you arrive at your location, keep the cooler in the shade and minimize the number of times it is opened. Replenish the ice if it melts.
Keep hot foods hot! If possible, heat the food to 160 degrees before you leave home and pour into a slow cooker, electric roaster or chafing dish. As soon as you reach your destination, plug in the roaster or slow cooker or light the chafing dish. (Remember the chafing dish is for maintaining temperature only!)

If a range is available, place food in a 200 degree oven. Foods must maintain an internal temperature of 140 degrees to remain safe.
Place leftover foods in the cooler or in a refrigerator as soon as the meal is over. Perishable foods left out for more than an hour should be discarded. If ice is still in your cooler when you arrive home, any leftovers should be safe to eat.

Picnic Tips

Follow the guidelines above to avoid food-safety problems. Below are additional thoughts on the types of foods best suited for a picnic.

Single serving, prepackaged portions are the safest because they minimize the number of people handling the food. You can purchase these items or make your own by placing individual servings in small plastic bags or wrapping them in plastic.
Place commercial or homemade ice packs in the cooler. Pack your perishables next to the ice packs. Avoid placing fruits and vegetables directly on the ice to prevent freezing them. Fill the cooler to the top. A full cooler stays cold longer than a partially filled one. If necessary, use additional ice or frozen nonperishables such as juice boxes to fill.
Dry foods or those high in sugar are almost always safe. This would include breads, rolls, cakes and bars without cream fillings, fresh fruits and vegetables, cookies and crackers.
Potatoes, rice, custards, puddings, cream pies, gravies and stuffings should be served with extreme caution. Time and temperature control of these foods is extremely important.