Think twice before using that ice in your drinks. Jupiter Images (via Getty Images)
Summer celebrations are one of the most fun times of the year, but as temperatures rise, so does the chance that the food you're served will contain dangerous bacteria.
“Foodborne illness peaks during the summer months, especially in July and August,” said Dennis D'Amico, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biotechnology at the University of Connecticut. “This is the time of year when cases of listeriosis, campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections increase.”
The connection between warmer climates and food problems is because creepy creatures prefer warmer places to live and breed. Food scientist Brian Kwok Lee explains this this way: “As temperatures warm, microorganisms grow faster. Most spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms grow very slowly at refrigerator temperatures, but when temperatures reach 80°F to 85°F, they grow faster. , the rate of growth increases by a factor of 10 to 100 per hour. That means the number of bacteria that can cause food poisoning doubles at a faster rate.”
We asked food scientists to pinpoint some of the biggest potential hazards at outdoor events. They told us where the problem was and how to work around it.
1. Undercooked meat (this is more common than you think)
Glenn Morris, director of the University of Florida's Emerging Pathogens Institute, said the bacteria that cause the biggest foodborne illness problems, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, tend to be associated with raw meat and poultry. The best way to prevent illness is to make sure all meat is cooked to the proper temperature.
“Cooking kills these food-poisoning bacteria, so make sure you cook your chicken and burgers well,” says Morris.
Keep a thermometer nearby when grilling, says Damico. “Color and texture are not reliable indicators of food safety or doneness. Meat must be cooked to the proper internal temperature and checked using a food thermometer.” 160°F, chicken should be cooked to 165°F, and fresh steaks and chops should be cooked to 145°F.
Once the meat is cooked, don't put it back on the plate where the juices from the raw meat are still present, Morris says.
“Even if the meat is cooked, bad bacteria can be recontaminated from raw meat or poultry juices left on the platter.”
2. Store food at room temperature
The danger zone for bacteria growth is between 40°F and 140°F, so food should always be either cooler or warmer than that.
“Food that needs to be kept cold should be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit using plenty of ice and properly insulated storage, such as a cooler or Styrofoam box,” Lee said. “Heated food should be kept above 140°F. You can also keep it warm next to a grill rack or using an alcohol burner.”
As a rule of thumb, leave food at room temperature for no more than two hours. Mr. Le explained the reason as follows: “Bacteria divide every 15 to 20 minutes, even at room temperature, which means a single pathogen can grow to 16 cells in the first hour, 256 cells in the second hour, and more than 4,000 cells in the third hour. Some species and strains can grow even faster depending on the conditions in the food.
Depending on the toxins produced by the bacteria, some microorganisms can cause food poisoning with as few as 10 bacterial cells, while others require hundreds or even thousands of bacterial cells to cause disease, Lee said. Ta. The more vulnerable you are, the greater the risk, he said, noting that children, pregnant women and the elderly may have weaker immune systems and could be more seriously affected by contaminated food.
“Listeria monocytogenes can cause further complications in pregnant women, and listeriosis can lead to abortion, stillbirth or meningitis in newborns,” he said.
That's why cleaning up food should start when you're done eating, not after you've played another round of volleyball with your family.
“The last thing you want to do is leave food in a hot place for several hours, allowing any bacteria that may be present on it to grow,” says Morris.
Remember that many potato salads contain eggs. Matejay (via Getty Images)
3. Deli salad (homemade or store-bought)
Products containing eggs, including homemade dressings, mayonnaise, and dishes such as deviled eggs and egg salad, are of concern because eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria, which can cause serious illness. Masu.
“If the ingredients are properly cooked, both will be inactivated, but if the eggs are used raw or undercooked, they can remain present,” D'Amico says. said.
Another problem is pre-made or cooked salads such as coleslaw, chicken, tuna, egg, and potato salads.
“Although it is popular during the summer months, there are concerns about possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes,” he says. “This bacteria is found in processed food and deli environments and can contaminate prepared foods and their ingredients.Listeria monocytogenes can grow in the cold, so if your food is contaminated teeth [with] Listeria monocytogenes can also increase in numbers during refrigerated storage in the deli. ”
4. Terrible cooler
Experts also pointed out that you need to make sure your cooler is working properly. For that, you need a lot of ice.
“A fully-filled cooler will stay colder longer than a partially-filled cooler, so you can avoid ice and It is important to pack plenty of frozen packs to ensure a constant temperature.” from the Connecticut State Department of Animal Science. Other cooling tips from her: “Keep your cooler out of direct sunlight and keep drinks in a separate cooler from your food. Beverage coolers can be opened more often and food This allows the cooler to stay cool.”
5. Ice reuse
Morris said the right ice for drinks is not cold ice, noting that dirty coolers and cross-contamination of food juices can make drinking cold drinks dangerous.
“When you plan on serving drinks with ice, be sure to fill the glasses with clean ice,” he said. “It may be convenient to reach into the cooler and grab a handful of ice, but think about what that ice comes into contact with. It's not in your drink. Instead, put ice cubes in the cooler that's ready to drink. Pack a zipper bag with ice and use it for drinks.”