Press Release
For Summer Time Frame
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- It's summertime, and the barbecueing is easy -- unless you violate food safety rules. A food safety expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences counsels caution when grilling up a feast for friends and relatives.
"Illnesses from undercooked foods and improper food handling skyrocket during barbecue season," says Steve Knabel, associate professor of food science.
Such food-borne illnesses as campylobacteriosis, giardiasis, salmonellosis and shigellosis strike most frequently during the summer season -- particularly in children under 4 years old.
Symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and fever. Healthy adults often weather the sickness in a day or two. However, young children, senior citizens, pregnant women and people with impaired immune systems can die if not treated immediately.
Knabel suggests a few simple guidelines to make sure your holiday weekend doesn't include a trip to the emergency room.
--Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. "Leave meats and other food in the refrigerator or cooler until you are ready to grill them," Knabel says.
--Cook hamburgers and other ground meat until the meat has reached the desired temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
--Marinate raw fish, meat or poultry in a glass dish in the refrigerator. Do not use the marinade as a basting sauce or dip if raw meat has been placed in it.
--Pre-cooking meat in the microwave or range is a time-saver, but make sure the meat goes directly from the oven or microwave onto the grill. Do not let partially cooked meat sit out on the counter.
--Charcoal should burn for 30 minutes before cooking. The coals should have a light ash coating for best results.
--Use a meat thermometer for meat. Roasts should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare and 160 F for medium. Whole poultry should reach 180 degrees.
--Do not put cooked food on plates that have held raw meat. "Any containers, cutting boards or utensils used to prepare raw meat for the grill should be washed before being used again. Also, wash your hands in soapy water before and after handling meat," Knabel said.
--Throw out any leftover food, hot or cold, that has been left out for more than two hours.
__________________________________________________________________
To contact Steve Knabel, please call (814) 863-1372.
Editor: John Wall
Phone: 814-863-2719 office
Email: jtw3@psu.edu
PR #02132
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