BLOGS & NEWS

Food Safety

With summer in full swing, you and your family may be enjoying more barbecues and picnics than usual. In preparing food for these events, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers four easy steps to help keep your food safe:

1. Clean – Wash your hands and surfaces often. Germs that cause food poisoning can be spread around your kitchen. Clean your hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food and eating. Wash your utensils, cutting board, and countertops with soap and water as well.
2. Separate – Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Keep juices from those items away from other food.
3. Cook – Cook your food to the right temperature.
4. Chill – Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours to prevent bacteria growth. If food is exposed to temperatures above 90 degrees, like at a picnic or in a hot car, refrigerate it within an hour.