With the summer heat, preventing food-borne illnesses can present a bit more of a challenge, as more people enjoy outdoor picnics, barbecues, and camping adventures.
The recent extreme heat in the UK has brought a rash of issues, from trouble sleeping, a need to protect young children and pets from heatstroke, and more. It is important to remember that bacteria thrive in such hot and humid conditions, and can double in size in as little as 20 minutes.
If you want to have a healthy and happy summer, you must keep your food temperature and time in mind, and if ever in doubt, don’t take a risk, throw it out. Ensure food is not left out for long periods in the summer heat, and follow proper food handling and preparation safety guidelines, and always wash your hands before and after food prep, and again before eating.
Here are some recommended food safety practices:
- Do not use the same utensils, cutting boards and dishes for raw food and cooked food.
- Thaw and marinate food in the refrigerator – not on the counter.
- Discard marinades and sauces that have touched raw meat.
- Wash fruits and vegetables before peeling or cutting to prevent germs on the food’s peeling from spreading to the inside.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure foods are cooked thoroughly.
- Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than one or two hours.
- Wash your hands often when preparing, handling and storing food.
- Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. If using a cooler, put raw foods on the bottom with an ice pack on top.
- Allow food to cool to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator.
- Store leftovers in smaller containers rather than one large container so it cools faster.
Food-borne illnesses affect 48 million people each year. Symptoms of a food-borne illness can include an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and nausea.
If you’re too hot to want to spend hours in the kitchen, then have a look at our healthy meal prep delivery in the UK today.