Food safety tips for a safer Summer

(SPM Wire) With the picnic and barbecue season upon us and the weather heating up, it's important to keep some timely food safety tips in mind when gathering with friends and family.

"The single best way to prepare and consume food safely is to wash your hands before cooking, serving, or eating," said Scott Gilliam, of the Indiana State Department of Health's Food Protection Program. "Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat, like ground beef or poultry."

"Food temperature is also important," Gilliam said. "If a food is intended to be served hot, make sure to cook it fully before serving it. On the other hand, if a food is intended to be served cold, keep it cold. Never let cold food sit out for an extended period of time. If you're serving cold pasta salad, store it in a refrigerator or a cooler and put it out on the picnic table right before the food is served."

Another effective technique to avoid food-borne illness is to buy a good meat thermometer and use it to make sure that meat is cooked to its appropriate temperature. For information on proper food temperatures, visit the federal government's Food Safety Web site at www.foodsafety.gov. If you don't have a meat thermometer, cook meats until the juices run clear. Ground beef should be brown or at least brownish pink in the center before it is served. Of course, if you aren't feeling well avoid preparing food for others.

"Try to minimize the direct handling of ready-to-eat foods with bare hands as much as possible," Gilliam said. "Use utensils whenever possible when handling salads, sandwiches, etc."

Health officials recommend the following food safety tips:

* Food safety begins with hand-washing even in outdoor settings. And it can be as simple as using a water jug, some soap and paper towels.

* Keep all utensils and platters clean when preparing food.

* When grocery shopping during hot weather, make perishables your last pick-up in the store. Never leave them in the car while you run other errandsit doesn't take long for bacteria to grow. Get perishables home and into the refrigerator immediately.