By: NATHAN STUEDLE
With Labor Day weekend upon us, food-safety experts are reminding families to take a few simple precautions during cookouts, picnics and tailgates. Cold foods should be kept below 40 degrees, while hot foods need to remain properly heated until they're served. Raw meat and poultry should also be kept separate from ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination. Perishable foods shouldn't remain at room temperature for more than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, that drops to just one hour.
Meat and poultry should be cooked to safe internal temperatures and checked with a food thermometer rather than relying on appearance. Consumers should also wash their hands before handling food and use clean utensils and serving dishes. Once the gathering is over, refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Food-safety experts recommend eating or freezing those leftovers within four days.