Many people will be firing up their grills and cooking food to eat outdoors this July 4th. The Sacramento County Environmental Management Department encourages you to follow safe food handling steps to prevent foodborne illness and make sure food is safe and healthy for you and your guests.
When preparing for a barbecue or picnic, be aware of the following important safety issues:
- Safe Thawing — never thaw meat on the counter or defrost it in hot water. Frozen food is best thawed in a refrigerator at 41 degrees F, under cold running water, or in a microwave oven.
- Safe Preparation — After working with raw meats, always wash your hands, utensils and work surfaces before they touch other foods. And don’t forget grills need annual cleaning after winter storage!
- Safe Marinating — Temperature is key — always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
- Safe Cooking — Remember to keep meat cold until ready to grill, and always cook your food at a high enough temperature. Cut meat open before serving or use a food thermometer to test for doneness.
- Serving Food Safely and Handling Leftovers — Perishable foods should not be left out of the fridge for more than two hours. For optimum results, promptly refrigerate or freeze leftovers in shallow containers, and wrap tightly for best quality.
Click here for more July 4th food safety tips.
Click here to watch a video about grilling food safety.
