If a picnic or cookout will be part of your Independence Day celebration, be sure to practice good food safety outdoors just as you would in your kitchen. Dr. Tim Jones, Director of the Department of Health's FoodNet Program, says it's not ants that we should worry will invade our picnics, but dangerous bacteria. Following some simple food safety rules can prevent your holiday gathering from turning into holiday misfortune. Don't partially pre-cook meats to get a head start before your guests arrive.
Partial cooking can encourage bacterial growth.
You can fully cook foods ahead of time and then keep them chilled until time to reheat them. There may be a lot of hungry people waiting for those burgers to come off the grill, but don't be tempted to take them off until they're thoroughly cooked. A medium rare steak isn't dangerous, but hamburgers shouldn't have any pink . During slaughter, E coli 0157 bacteria, which is present in the intestines of cattle, may come into contact with meat as it is ground. The bacteria are killed when the meat is adequately cooked, but can survive in meat that is rare.