This article was in today's Dayton Daily News.
When camping, do this to stay safe
Make sure to follow food safety rules in the great outdoors.
Ohio State University Extension
Q: We are planning to go camping for a long weekend this summer and I
want to be sure we´re smart about the food we bring and prepare. What
should we keep in mind regarding food safety?
A: Food safety rules don´t change just because you´re experiencing the
great outdoors. You want to make sure that you keep perishable foods cold
enough, separate foods to prevent cross-contamination, keep your hands
clean as you´re preparing food, and cook foods thoroughly.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture´s Food Safety and Inspection Service
provides detailed guidelines for Food Safety While Hiking, Camping and
Boating online at go.osu.edu/outdoorfdsafe. Recommendations include:
¦ Bring nonperishable foods: canned tuna, ham, chicken or beef; dried
meat or jerky; dry pasta and powdered sauce; and dried fruit and nuts.
¦ Pack all perishables in a cooler. Always use plenty of ice. If you are
using
ice cubes, make sure the melted water is contained to prevent
cross-contamination from raw foods. Large ice blocks and ice gel packs stay
cold longer than ice cubes. Pack the cooler full - that way the cooler will
keep cold longer. Keep the cooler in the shade, or cover it with a beach
towel or blanket to help further insulate it. The cooler´s ability to keep
things
cold enough drops significantly in direct sunlight. Do not open it very often.
Use a separate cooler for beverages , which you can open more often
without putting perishable foods at risk.
¦If you´re taking burgers, hot dogs, or any raw meat or fish, pack them in a
separate cooler to keep the raw juices from cross-contaminating food and
drinks that won´t be cooked. Consider freezing them before leaving on your
trip, and pack them with large ice packs. Bacteria multiply quickly in
temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees, called the "danger
zone." They can reach dangerous levels within two hours, or
withinonehourat90degrees or above. And don´t make the mistake of thinking
you´ll be safe if you cook the food thoroughly enough: When in the danger
zone, microorganisms can produce toxins that remain in the food even after
heat kills the bacteria. So, keep raw meat cold.
¦ Bring a meat thermometer. When you cook meat outdoors, you don´t
have as much control over the heat source. Meat that is charred on the
outside can remain uncooked on the inside. Never rely on color to tell
whether a burger is done. A burger can be undercooked even if it is brown in
the middle . Cook all poultry products, chicken or turkey burgers, hot dogs
and sausages to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, measured with a thermometer at
the thickest part of the meat; cook ground beef to 160 degrees F; and cook
steaks, chops and seafood to at least 145 degrees F.
--
Richard L. Colby
Corporate Environmental Engineer
Dayton-Phoenix Group Inc.
1619 Kuntz Road
Dayton, Ohio 45404-1240
Office (937) 496-3959
Fax (937) 496-3970
