July 4 Safety Tips from the Westchester County Department of Health

BARBECUE SAFETY TIPS

Health Department offers food and outdoor safety tips for July 4

As your fire up the grill and get ready for a long weekend of outdoor fun to commemorate America’s birthday, the Westchester County Department of Health has 10 tips to help you celebrate safely and to prevent West Nile Virus, salmonella or a food borne illness from spoiling your fun:

·        Spray insect repellent containing DEET on your clothes and exposed skin to avoid mosquito bites.

·        Empty out standing water from all outdoor containers to keep mosquitoes from breeding.

·        Avoid attracting animals – collect and dispose of food and litter.

·        Thaw meat and poultry slowly in the refrigerator or under cold running water before cooking.

·        Harmful bacteria usually grow in the "danger zone" between 40° and 140° F, so marinate and hold meat and poultry in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill it.

·        Transport food inside a cooler filled with ice to keep it at 40°F or below.  Keep the cooler out of the direct sun and avoid opening the lid too often. Keep beverages in a separate cooler.

·        Cook your food to the right temperature -- that’s 160 degrees for ground beef and pork and 165 degrees for chicken and hot dogs.  Always use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature. 

·        Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Discard any food left out for more than two hours after cooking, or one hour if it more than 90°F outside.

·        Don’t cross-contaminate: don’t reuse marinades on cooked food unless you boil them first and don’t use the same plate, cutting board and utensils for cooked food that you used for raw meat.

·        Wash hands, surfaces and utensils frequently with soap and water or antiseptic wipes.

For more information, like the Westchester County Health Department at Facebook.com/wchealthdept, follow us on Twitter @wchealthdept, call us at (914) 813-5000 or visit www.westchestergov.com/health.

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