Tomorrow is Independence Day and over half of the people in the country will be celebrating with their families, close friends and good food. There are many potential dangers surrounding this holiday from firework injuries and sunburn to hangovers from simply drinking too much. But one of the most prominent hazards that people just don’t think about is food safety. Incidences of food poisoning spike in the summer due to the increased amount of outdoor cooking, grilling and picnicking. It is estimated that approximately 128,000 people will need hospitalization this year due to food borne illness according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
One of the biggest causes of this is presumptions about hamburgers, the most popular food of the season. Countless families will spend $400 million on beef for the upcoming holiday. Many people assume that the inside color of burgers indicates whether they are safe to eat or not. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has shown that one out of every four hamburgers turn brown before it has reached a safe internal temperature. Using a thermometer is the only accurate way to tell whether ground beef is safe to consume, yet research from the Food and Drug Administration shows that only 23% of those who own a food thermometer actually use it when cooking.
Here are several simple steps you can take to avoid food poisoning this year:
- Make sure all surfaces and utensils are clean and sanitized and wash hands with soap and hot water.
- Use separate plates and platters for raw meat, cooked meat and ready-to-eat foods.
- Cook all foods to their designated safe internal temperatures by using a food thermometer.
- Chill raw and prepared foods immediately if not being consumed after cooking. Foods should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours (One hour if outdoor temperature is above 90 degrees).
