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There's something special about packing a picnic and heading to the park
or hills to enjoy being in the great outdoors. Whether your picnic is an
elaborate gourmet affair for 20 or a simple packed lunch for two, the last
thing you want to bring back home with you is foodborne illness. Picnics
are notorious breeding grounds for bugs, including the microorganisms that
cause foodborne illness. With a little knowledge and pre-planning,
however, outdoor picnics can be an enjoyable and safe event.
When planning a picnic or cook-out, make a list of items to pack. Your
menu will dictate what to bring. For example, if you're planning to cook
raw meats, poultry or fish, remember the rules to prevent
cross-contamination.
Raw animal products can be a source of unwanted bacteria. Cooking meat
kills pathogens that may be present. Bring a meat thermometer along and
check to be sure that hamburger patties have reached an internal
temperature of 160 degrees F before removing from the grill. For grilled
chicken, the recommended internal end-point temperature is 170 degrees F.
Take care to make sure that all utensils, cutting boards and hands that
have contacted raw meat are washed thoroughly before contacting other
foods. It's a good idea to pack duplicate sets of utensils and cutting
boards and to bring along an ample supply of moist towelettes for hand
washing. A makeshift wash station can be set up using two plastic tubs,
one with soapy water and the other with clean rinse water. A spray bottle
filled with soapy water also is easy to bring along.
When packing a cooler, be sure to use one that is well-insulated and has
an adequate ice source. Ice blocks, cubes or refreezable ice packs all
work well. Carefully package raw fish, meat or poultry to keep juices from
leaking in the cooler. Make sure the items to be packed already have been
chilled to refrigerator temperatures before placing them in the cooler.
Keep the cooler in the shade, and make sure foods are not sitting out,
either before or after cooking, for more than two hours. This time window
is shortened to only one hour if it's hotter than 85 degrees outside.
Remember that pathogens can be present on produce. All fruits and
vegetables, including melons, berries and leafy greens, should be washed
well under running water in your kitchen before packing in a cooler.
When cooking, be vigilant about sources of cross-contamination. Different
utensils and serving platters should be used for raw and cooked foods.
Make sure that everything that touches food is clean. Also, don't even
think about using any of the marinade that touched raw meat as a basting
sauce or dip for cooked meat. Rather, reserve out a portion of the
marinade recipe for use as a sauce or dip, then spread the rest of the
recipe on the raw product.
Avoid partially pre-cooking meats to be finished later on the grill.
Pre-cooked foods should be cooked thoroughly, placed immediately in a
refrigerator, brought down to a cool temperature then packed in the
cooler. Remember, unwelcome food pathogens multiply quickly between 40
degrees F and 140 degrees F, a window of temperature that is warmer than a
refrigerator but cooler than hot serving temperature.
All utensils, cookware and grills should be cleaned thoroughly after use.
To sanitize cutting boards, wash with warm, soapy water, rinse, then dip
in a solution of one teaspoon of bleach in one quart of lukewarm water.
Leftovers should be wrapped well and placed in a cooler with ice. They
should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours, one hour
if it's over 85 degrees outside. Finally, remember the maxim: "When in
doubt, throw it out."
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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