FACT SHEET l Ohio Department of Agriculture
Governor Bob Taft Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley Director Fred L. Dailey		Food Safety Division 8995 East Main Street • Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 Phone: 614-752-9817 • Fax 614-466-4346 ODA URL: www.ohioagriculture.gov E-mail: foodsafety@agri.ohio.gov

FACT SHEET:  Summer Grill

May 19, 2000

SUMMER GRILLING SAFETY TIPS

1.  Always Wash Your Hands

2.  Keep Raw and Cooked Vegetables Separate

3.  Keep Hot Foods Hot

4.  Keep Cold Foods Cold

5.  Do Not Use Raw Eggs in Homemade Ice Cream

6.  Wash Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Summer grilling and picnicking are things we look forward to all winter long. The Ohio Department of Agriculture wants consumers to kick off the summer right this Memorial Day weekend by keeping some basic food safety tips in mind. For a safe holiday, follow these guidelines:

Dirty hands spread bacteria. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before handling any food, and before and after handling raw meat. If water is not available, use alcohol-based wet towelettes or an anti-bacterial waterless soap with clean paper towels.

 

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2.  Keep Raw and Cooked Foods Separate

Keep raw meat and poultry wrapped in a cooler and away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods. When taking food off the grill, don’t put the cooked items on the same platter which held the raw meat. Clean and sanitize utensils and working surfaces between preparation of raw meat and poultry and fruits and vegetables.

 

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After cooking your food, keep it hot until served. Also, don’t let food sit out for more than two hours on typical days – one hour for hot weather over 90 degrees F.

 

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Pack food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel-packs. Pack perishable food directly into the cooler from the refrigerator or freezer. Fill the cooler completely so it will maintain its cold temperatures longer. If the cooler is only partially full, pack the remaining space with more ice, fruit, or non-perishable foods such as peanut butter and jelly. Put drinks in a second cooler because this cooler will be opened more often.

 

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Raw eggs should not be used in non-cooked foods such as ice cream because of the possibility of foodborne illness. By simply creating a cooked custard as the basis of the mixture, the danger of salmonella poisoning will be eliminated. Cook a mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and possibly other ingredients (depending on the recipe) to a temperature of 160 degrees, using a food thermometer to check the temperature. Once the custard is cooked, cool it immediately and chill it thoroughly for one hour before placing it into the ice cream freezer with the other ingredients.

 

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Wash fruits and vegetables under running water and, when applicable, remove outer leaves or skin. Trim off bruised or damaged parts, and remove any soil or other residues prior to preparation and serving.

 

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For more information on food safety, consumers can contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 1-800-282-1955 or their local health department.

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