Q: Why does food poisoning increase in the summertime?
The risk of foodborne illnesses increases during the summer when temperatures are warmer and people are more likely to be cooking outside at picnics, barbeques, and on camping trips.
There are two main reasons why food poisoning I more likely to occur in the summer. First, summer weather is often hot and humid, and the kinds of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7, multiply quickly in warm, moist conditions. Second, more people are cooking outdoors at picnics, barbecues and on camping trips. The safety controls that a kitchen provides - thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration and washing facilities - are not always available.
Because you can't see or smell food poisoning bacteria, there are no clues as too a harmful food. The only strategy to prevent food poisoning is to handle foods safely in the first place.
Q: What are some tips to prevent food poisoning when eating outdoors?
Avoid cross contamination. Bacteria can be unknowingly spread from food to people, people to food, or from one food to another. To prevent cross contamination wash hands often. If you are eating outdoors, bring towelettes or soap and water to clean your hands and surfaces often. If you don't have soap and water available, pack disposable wipes or hand sanitizer. Keep raw foods and ready-to-eat foods separate. Bring extra plates and utensils for handling raw foods and cooked foods to prevent cross contamination.
Also - cook to proper temperatures. Use a digital, instant-read meat thermometer to ensure meat and poultry is cooked to the right temperature. These thermometers give a temperature reading rather than just a doneness range. Here are the safe temperatures you should be aiming for:
Safe cooking temperatures
- Burgers, ground beef 160F (71C)
- Steak, Roasts 145F (63C)
- Chicken breasts, legs 170F (77C)
- Ground chicken, turkey 175F (80C)
Q: Why is it so important to cook hamburgers until well done?
In order to kill harmful bacteria in ground meat, burgers must be cooked properly. The only reliable way to know if your burger is safe to eat is to test each one with a thermometer. You can't judge by colour - beef patties may be brown in the centre before reaching a safe temperature, or may stay pink even after reaching the right temperature. Cook beef burgers to an internal temperature of 71 degrees C (160 degrees F).
Eating improperly cooked ground meat can cause a severe food poisoning from a bacteria called E. coli 0157. E. coli 0157 may be present on the surface of meat. When the meat is put through a grinder, the bacteria are then dispersed within the meat. That's why you need to cook burgers all the way through. It's okay to enjoy your steak medium rare because if there are bacteria present, they are only on the surface of the meat and cooking will destroy them.
Q: What about picnicking and camping - how do you keep foods safe?
Pack foods in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Pack foods first that you're likely to use last. Take two coolers - one for cold drinks and another for perishable foods. That way warm air won't get into the perishables every time someone reaches for a drink.
Transport the cooler in the back seat of an air-conditioned car, not the hot trunk. At the picnic or campsite, keep the cooler out of the sun; place it under a tree or cover it with a blanket or tarp. When it comes time to cook, remove from the cooler only the amount of raw meat that will fit on the grill.
In hot weather (32C/90F) don't leave foods sitting out for more than one hour. For temperatures that aren't quite as hot, don't keep foods out for longer than two hours. Food that's left outside too long can look and taste fine, but be teeming with harmful bacteria. When in doubt, throw it out.
Bring hand soap and water to wash your hands before preparing foods and eating. If soap and water aren't available, pack disposable wipes or hand sanitizer.
Finally, drink bottled water or tap water from a safe source. You will need to purify water from lakes or streams even if the water looks clean. Water purification tablets and water filters are available at stores that sell camping gear and outdoor sporting goods.
Food safety for camping and picnics
- Pack two coolers
- Bring hand sanitizer
- Don't let foods sit out more than 1 hour
- Drink bottled or purified water
