BLACKSBURG—It’s the season for backyard barbecues, picnics and potlucks. But before firing up the grill or setting out the deviled eggs, it’s a good idea to brush up on summertime food safety.

With its blazing sun and hot weather, summertime can bring risk of serious food-borne illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rates of food poisoning rise during the warm summer months as bacteria flourish and grow faster.

“Safe food handling when eating outdoors is critical,” said Melissa Wright, a food safety expert with Virginia Tech’s Food Science and Technology department.

To keep family, friends and yourself from getting sick, Wright emphasizes four food safety principles—clean, separate, cook and control.

Always keep hands and surfaces clean, especially when outdoors. Before beginning any food preparation, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and clean food prep surfaces and eating areas.

“If the surface isn’t cleanable, consider using disposable tablecloths,” Wright suggested.

Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed before preparing, but meat should not. Washing raw meat can cause water and juices to spray—spreading bacteria onto other foods, surfaces and utensils.

Keep raw meat and seafood separate from other foods to avoid bacteria cross-contamination. Separate dishes and utensils should be used for handling, and marinades and sauces that touch raw meat or seafood should be thrown away.

When cooking, keep a food thermometer on hand and ensure food is cooked thoroughly to kill germs.

Steaks, roasts, pork and fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees; ground meats like hamburgers and hot dogs to at least 160 degrees; and poultry to 165 degrees or higher. Visit bit.ly/4bxduMr for a detailed food temperature chart.

Finally, control the temperature. Raw meat should be kept cool at 40 degrees or below until ready for grilling. After grilling, keep it hot by moving it to the side of the grill rack, away from the coals.

“Use coolers with ice or ice packs,” to keep cold dishes cold, and cover the food, advised Tammy Brawley, chef and owner of The Green Kitchen and host of Heart of the Home culinary segments on Virginia Farm Bureau’s Real Virginia television program.

Dishes like cut fruits and vegetables, deviled eggs, potato salad and desserts should maintain a temperature 40 degrees or below. When serving chilled foods, keep the containers in a shallow container set in a deep tray filled with ice.

“Even if in a shaded area or under a tent or porch, put it on ice,” Brawley said.

Hot dishes like casseroles and dips can be kept in an insulated carrying case while serving to ensure they stay at or above 140 degrees.

And finally, refrigerate any leftovers within two hours. If it’s an especially hot day and food is exposed to temperatures 90 degrees or higher, refrigerate within one hour.

Media: Contact Margaret Ashburn, Virginia Tech communications, at 540-529-0814, or Alice Kemp, VFBF communications at 804-290-1138.