Picnic & Cookout Food Safety Tips

Local Extension agent recommends these best practices to prevent food-borne illness

Enjoy that 4th of July BBQ, picnic or potluck – and be sure to practice food safety.

Chelsea King is the Nutrition, Food Safety and Health Agent at Johnson County K-State Research and Extension.

“When it comes to foodborne illness, many times it is preventable,” she said. “Our own human errors are often one of the top contributors.”

King recommends basic practices like hand washing and keeping raw meat separate from other foods, along with these important tips:

Use a meat thermometer. Color is not a reliable indicator if food is cooked properly. Hamburgers, steaks, roasts and chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F, ground meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) to 160°F and poultry to 165°F.
Keep chilled foods at 40°F or colder until ready to serve. Pack in a cooler chilled with ice.
When the outside temperature is 90°F or hotter, food should not be left out for more than one hour. Discard food left out too long.

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