One of the best things about the summer is the variety of tasty and nutritious ìin-seasonî fruits and vegetables, as well as the opportunity to cook and eat outside. Unfortunately, during the summer the Health Department often receives increased reports of food-borne illness such as E. coli and salmonella that start in the home. Let me share some of the things you can do to protect yourself and your family.Wash ñ itís the right way to startAs a resident of Falcon, one of the things I look forward to is the Farmers Market opening for the summer and the fresh, locally grown produce that is available there. But remember, as eager as you may be to slice open that tomato or cantaloupe, you have to be sure itís washed and prepared correctly to prevent food-borne illness.The first thing to do when youíre about to prepare food is to wash your hands, at least 15 seconds, with warm water and soap. Itís important to dry hands on clean towels, preferably disposable ones.The next step is to rinse fruits or vegetables with clean water. Those outer skins and rinds are where bacteria from the soil or from handling and chemical residues can hide. Cutting into an unwashed melon could transfer bacteria from the rind to the flesh inside the melon. So be sure to rinse fruits and vegetables under running tap water. But donít use detergent or bleach to wash them.Separateóitís easy to doWhether youíre preparing and eating inside or outside, itís important to separate raw meat and poultry from items that arenít going to be cookedósandwiches, fruits and vegetables, for example. When planning to cook outside, try to pack your ingredients pre-cleaned and chopped, in plastic containers. If you must ìprepî foods outside, be sure to take separate cutting boards and knives, as well as supplies to clean and sanitize these items in between uses.Cook ñ outdoors or indoors the rules are the sameIndoors or outdoors, your cooking temperatures should stay constant. So, for example, even if you are out camping, you still need to cook hamburger to 155 degrees F. to be sure itís safe to eat. And donít assume you can tell from the appearance of the meatóitís a myth that when cooking juices run clear that you are safeóso it is best to use a digital probe thermometer. Eat the cooked meats while they are hot.Chill ñ keep cold foods coldOnce youíre done with a meal, be sure to chill the leftovers as quickly as possible, even if itís in an ice chest while camping or picnicking. Perishable foods that are normally kept in the refrigerator, such as lunchmeats, cooked meat, chicken or pasta salads and melons, must be kept at 41 degrees F or lower.Packing an ice chest is a scienceóput your meats or poultry on the bottom so that juices that might leak will stay off of ready-to-eat foods. And use common sense: If the cooler is in the car, park in the shade and keep it closed as much as possible. One idea is to pack one cooler for meal ingredients and another for beverages so you donít have to open the food cooler very often.Summer is a great time in the Pikes Peak area to enjoy our fresh fruits and vegetables and cooking and eating outside. I hope you find this information useful, and be sure to visit our Web site at www.elpasocountyhealth.org for more information. Visit the following Web sites for more food safety information: www.foodsafety.gov and www.usda.gov.
