VDACS Shares Food Safety Tips for Memorial Day and Summer Cookouts

Richmond, Va.  (VR)– As Memorial Day approaches, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reminds the public to practice food safety while preparing and enjoying outdoor meals this holiday weekend and throughout the summer.

“Cookouts are a great way to enjoy Virginia grown foods while appreciating the state’s natural beauty and warm weather – but always keep food safety top of mind,” said Pamela Miles, Program Manager for the Office of Dairy and Foods. “Keep surfaces clean to avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to the proper temperature, and never let food sit out longer than is safe.”

Here are important food safety tips to protect your family and friends from food-borne illness:

• Keep a clean grill: Clean your grill with soap and water before the cookout. Once you turn it on, let the heat burn off any remaining bacteria before placing food on the grill.
• Store safely before cooking: Store raw meats in sealed containers at the bottom of a cooler before cooking, to prevent their juices from contaminating other foods.
• Never mix raw and cooked meats, poultry, or seafood: Use separate utensils, plates, and cutting boards when handling raw foods vs. cooked foods, and never place cooked food onto a plate that held raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
• Cook to safe temperatures: Color, look, or time are not reliable indicators of doneness. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature:
• Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145 F
• Seafood (fish and shellfish): 145 F
• Ground beef, pork, lamb and veal: 160 F
• Poultry (whole and ground): 165 F
• Avoid the Danger Zone: Don’t let perishable foods reach temperatures where illness-causing bacteria can grow – between 40 and 140 F. Foods can only sit out two hours, or one hour in heat above 90 F. After this time, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold with the help of chafing dishes, a preheated grill, and coolers with ice.

Find out more about food safety on VDACS’ website www.vdacs.virginia.gov/food-food-safety.shtml.