Summer cookout safety: Tips to avoid getting sick

DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) – Fourth of July may be over, but there’s still plenty of opportunities to enjoy a cookout this summer. That’s why experts are stressing the importance of food safety at your outdoor party.

Any food can have the potential for foodborne illness, but some are worse culprits, according to Monica Nagele, a registered dietitian with Purdue University.

“Think foods like meat, eggs, seafood, freshly cut produce would all be potentially hazardous foods that we need to keep under refrigeration,” Nagele said.

Nagele said some lower-risk foods you can serve include prepackaged foods like chips, baked goods, fresh fruit and veggie sticks.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t serve other picnic classics like potato salad. Nagele said it’s all about keeping foods like these stored properly.

“Keep it in a cooler where you can keep it less than 40 degrees,” Nagele said. “So use ice or ice packs in order to do that. Another way you could do it is use small, single-serve dishes where you can keep some of those dishes in the cooler and only set out something for a small period of time.”

Tips for preparing or handling food:

• Wash your hands
• Use utensils for serving
• Keep raw and cooked food separate
• Cook food to the proper temperature
• Keep food covered to prevent bugs from getting on it

Finally, Nagele said you should never let food sit out for more than two hours.

“Keep food out for two hours and then throw it away,” Nagele said. “The hotter it gets outside, though, the sooner you’re going to have to be worried about that food. “

Nagele said that foodborne illnesses typically onset between 30 minutes to two hours after exposure. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, headache and fever.

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