The Co-op Food Stores

added 06/23/08

Before you pack all the sandwich meats and potato salad for your family’s Saturday picnic, see how you scored on our food-safety quiz.

When carrying cold foods in a cooler to a picnic, you should put the meat you’re going to grill
B) on the bottom.

Raw meat, poultry, or fish should never be put above foods that will not be cooked, such as salads, raw fruit and vegetables, or prepared foods. Whether in your refrigerator or in the cooler, keep them on the bottom where their juices cannot drip into other foods.

On a hot day, cold foods taken from the cooler should be
A) returned to the cooler after no more than one hour.

While it is considered safe to keep foods at room temperature for up to two hours, hot summer temperatures will quicken the pace of bacterial growth and put food at risk within one hour.

Melons cut ahead of time for a picnic

D) all of the above

Melons have the potential to cause foodborne illness because their centers are sweet and welcoming to the growth of bacteria. They should be scrubbed before cutting to eliminate the bacteria that naturally collect on them while growing and then be refrigerated until ready to eat.

Cut tomatoes

C) must be refrigerated and treated as potentially dangerous.

Modern tomatoes can no longer be considered safe to eat because of their natural acidity. Many varieties are not acidic enough and some strains of bacteria are resistant to acid. Treat cut tomatoes as potentially dangerous and keep them refrigerated.

Partially cooking meats ahead of time and finishing them on the grill

B) can encourage the growth of bacteria during the interim.

Never precook meats or any other food with the intent of finishing the cooking at a later time. Cook foods thoroughly with one continuous application of heat to ensure destruction of bacteria and viruses.

The most common cause of foodborne illness in summer salads is

D) improper handling of the protein-based ingredients (eggs, pasta, shrimp, etc.).

It is a common misconception that mayonnaise is the cause of foodborne illness from summer salads. However, commercial mayonnaise is too acidic to support the growth of bacteria. It’s the protein source – eggs, pasta, shrimp, chicken, tuna, or cooked vegetables – that must be protected by prompt refrigeration. For best results, refrigerate all ingredients before mixing together to ensure proper temperature control throughout preparation and storage.

Marinade from poultry, meat, or fish can be used to baste the grilled product if

B) it has been brought to a boil after the poultry, meat, or fish was removed.

Marinade that has held raw poultry, meat, or fish should not be used to baste grilling foods nor should it be used as a sauce at the table unless it has been brought to a rolling boil first.

Local fruits and vegetables

B) should be washed thoroughly before preparing or eating.

All fruits and vegetables, regardless of how or where they were grown, should be thoroughly washed before eating or preparing. Protect other ready-to-eat foods from unwashed produce to avoid possible cross-contamination.

Hamburgers cooked on the grill

D) should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

When meat is ground up, the bacteria that reside on the surface of the meat are drawn into the middle where they proliferate on the many surfaces created by the grinding process. If E. coli O157:H7 or other shiga-toxin producing bacteria are present, undercooked burgers can present a real danger to children, the elderly, and anyone who is immunosuppressed. Use a quick-read thermometer or a T-stick made for hamburgers to test the internal temperature of the burger before serving or eating.

Cold beverages for a picnic should be kept in a separate cooler from foods that need to remain cold before serving

B) to prevent unnecessary warming of the foods due to frequent opening and closing of the cooler.

What Do You Think?

Missed the quiz? Find it here! Have some thoughts about this article? We’d love to hear from you! Please email us your suggestion or question. If you want to check out other ways to communicate with the Co-op online, visit our discussion board.