Safety When Food is on the Go
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Safety When Food is on the Go
So your gourmet food has arrived and now you're ready to transport it to that family picnic in the park.
You may be wondering, how can I safely transport perishable foods such as steak and other picnic food to a picnic site, community supper, or family gathering?
According to the USDA, if taking food away from home, try to plan just the right amount of perishable foods to take. That way, you won't have to worry about the storage or safety of leftovers.
Items which don't require refrigeration include fruits, vegetables, hard cheese, canned meat or fish, chips, bread, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, and pickles. You don't need to pack them in a cooler.
After estimating the amount of food which needs to be kept cold, pack an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or gel packs to keep the food at 40 F. Pack food right from the refrigerator or freezer into it. Why? Because bacteria grow and multiply rapidly in the danger zone between 40 F and 140 F (out of the refrigerator or before food begins to cook). So food transported without an ice source or left out in the sun at a picnic won't stay safe long.
When taking food to a picnic, don't put the cooler in the trunk; carry it inside the air-conditioned car. At the picnic, keep the cooler in the shade. Keep the lid closed and avoid repeated openings. Replenish the ice if it melts.
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| Patricia Walters-Fischer |
