Planning a family picnic? Check out these safe food practices from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Poultry: More than 60 percent of raw poultry sold in the U.S. contains bacteria such as campylobacter and salmonella. Thoroughly cook poultry until juices run clear and there is no sign of pink. Cooking kills the bacteria.
Stews, soups, and gravies: Those that contain meat, poultry, or their juices are a breeding ground for several dangerous bacteria. To reduce risk, refrigerate these foods in small containers to cool them faster. Bring to a boil when reheating.
Ground beef: E. coli bacteria can be present on the surface of beef. Cooking steak kills bacteria on the surface. With ground meat, the surface gets mixed and could end up in the middle of the hamburger. Cook ground meat thoroughly to kill E. coli bacteria.
Deli meats: Set your refrigerator just above freezing to store deli meats. Eat or freeze within five days to avoid Listeria bacteria.
Leftovers: Discard any that have been unrefrigerated for two hours. When reheating, bring to a temperature of 165 degrees or more.
Potato salad: Cool down your potatoes before making the salad and keep the entire salad at about 41 degrees. Do not eat any potato salad if it has been left out for four hours or longer.
