As Memorial Day weekend approaches, marking the start of summer, outdoor meals become more frequent. To help prevent foodborne illnesses during these activities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued several food safety tips.
“The bacteria that cause foodborne illness love the summertime as much as we do because they thrive and multiply quickly in warmer temperatures. This causes illnesses to spike during the summer,” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban. “As we all spend more time outside, it is important to remember these food safety steps to keep your friends and family safe.”
The USDA advises starting with clean hands when handling food. If running water is available, wash hands thoroughly with soap for 20 seconds. If not, use hand sanitizer or moist towelettes containing at least 60 percent alcohol.
When transporting perishable foods to locations such as pools, beaches, or cookouts, use coolers or insulated containers with cold sources like ice or frozen gel packs to maintain a temperature below 40 F. It is recommended to pack beverages separately from perishable foods and keep coolers out of direct sunlight.
To avoid bacterial growth in the "Danger Zone" between 40 F and 140 F:
- Keep cold foods at or below 40 F using refrigerators, coolers, or ice.
- Maintain hot foods above 140 F using grills, chafing dishes, slow cookers, or warming trays.
- Frequently check the temperatures of both hot and cold items.
Follow the two-hour rule: Do not leave perishable foods out for more than two hours (one hour if temperatures exceed 90 F). Discard any food left out beyond this timeframe.
For further questions on food safety:
- Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
- Email MPHotline@usda.gov
- Chat live at www.ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday
Additional information can be found on USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s website at www.fsis.usda.gov/newsroom. Follow FSIS on X @usdafoodsafety or @usdafoodsafety_es for Spanish updates; USDA is also active on Instagram @usdagov and Facebook.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA continues its efforts toward transforming America’s food system by focusing on resilient local production, fairer markets for producers, ensuring access to nutritious food in all communities, promoting climate-smart practices among farmers and producers, investing in rural infrastructure and clean energy capabilities while committing to equity across its departments.
For more details about USDA initiatives visit www.usda.gov.
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