May 19, 2006

LINCOLN, Neb. — With the coming of summer cookouts, hosts should remember the importance of food safety when inviting friends and family over, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln food specialist said.

Keeping hot dishes hot and cold dishes cold is the key to food safety, said Julie Albrecht, food specialist in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Prior to grilling, hosts should completely defrost meat in the refrigerator, Albrecht said. This allows the meat to cook more evenly and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that can result from thawing meat in the microwave, she said. If meat is defrosted in the microwave it should be cooked immediately.

Meat should be kept cold – 40 degrees and below – as long as possible before moving it to the grill, Albrecht said. The grill should be preheated to the proper temperature before guests arrive, she said.

Meat needs to reach a safe internal temperature before it is served to guests, Albrecht said. This should be tested using a food thermometer. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. For example, a pink hamburger may have a higher internal temperature than one that looks well-done, she said.

Ground meat patties should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Hot dogs should be cooked to 165 degrees and chicken breasts to 170 degrees. Medium-rare steaks should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees, medium steaks 160 degrees and well-done steaks 170 degrees, Albrecht said.

If one piece of meat cooks faster than another, move it to the side of the grill rack where it will stay hot without overcooking, Albrecht said.

Hosts should wait to remove hot dishes from the oven or grill until all guests have arrived and other dishes are prepared. If electricity is available, crock pots can be used to keep other hot dishes above 140 degrees, she said.

Keeping cold dishes cold is another key to food safety, Albrecht said. Hosts should encourage their guests to follow food safety guidelines as well. Cold dishes should be transported to the grill-out site in a cooler packed with ice to ensure temperatures stay below 40 degrees. Upon arrival, it is best to keep coolers in the shade and opened as little as possible, she said.

Cold dishes should be well-chilled before serving, kept in an insulated container and left on the serving table for as little time as possible, Albrecht said.

"Keeping the covers on containers also will help food stay cold," Albrecht said.

It is a good idea to place serving tables in the shade, Albrecht said. To further promote food safety, use a separate serving utensil for each item to avoid cross-contamination, she said.

Following a meal, leftovers should be cooled down as soon as possible and put away. For this reason, hosts should be sure to have plenty of refrigerator space or coolers packed with ice on hand, Albrecht said.

This is particularly important when temperatures reach 90 degrees. In these situations, foods should not be left unchilled for more than one hour, Albrecht said.

"Try to prepare just enough food to get eaten to avoid having leftovers," Albrecht said.

There are a handful of foods that can be left out for guests to enjoy throughout the afternoon or evening, Albrecht said. These include nonperishable foods like chips and popcorn. Salads, cream based dips and other chilled foods can be left out as long as they are kept on ice, she said.

5/19/06-KO

Contacts:

Julie Albrecht - Ph.D.
Nutrition and Health Sciences
Professor
(402) 472-7919

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News Service
(402) 472-3030

Department:
Nutrition and Health Sciences