ENID, OK - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 Americans suffer from a foodborne illness each year. That's 48 million people across the country getting sick needlessly.
Experts point out that food poisoning cases can spike when cooking in the warmer weather. Foodborne bacteria thrive and multiply more quickly in warmer temperatures making the 4th of July a time to play it safe.
When cooking on the grill, place cooked food on a clean plate. Reusing the one that held raw meat, could contaminate your food. The goal is to keep raw foods away from ready to eat foods.
Make sure that all meat is cooked at the correct temperature. Burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees and poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees.
Bacteria thrive when food is left out for too long in the heat. Put the food away as quickly as possible. Generally food should not be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
When temperatures outside reach 90 degrees or above food really should be stored within one hour to prevent contamination. If you're in doubt, throw it out.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache are all symptoms of food borne illness. If you have questions, visit www.foodsafety.gov. You can also call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (1-888-674-6854) Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
