Labor Day Grilling Food Safety Tips
By: City of Newport News
| Labor Day is a U.S. national holiday held on the first Monday of September to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. For most though, it marks the last weekend to enjoy summer and the start of the new school year. So, if you’re rolling out the grill for the last weekend of the summer, follow these steps for safe and enjoyable grilling this weekend: Separate – When shopping, pick up meat, poultry, and seafood, right before checkout. Separate them from other food in your shopping cart and grocery bags.Chill – Keep meat, poultry, and seafood refrigerated until ready to grill. When transporting, keep 40°F or below in an insulated cooler.Thaw & Marinate – Thaw food safely in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave. Always marinate food in the refrigerator no matter what kind of marinade you’re using. Never thaw or marinate meat, poultry, or seafood on the counter.Clean – Wash your hands with soap before and after handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Wash work surfaces, utensils, and the grill before and after cooking.Check Your Grill and Tools – Use a moist cloth or paper towel to clean the grill surface before cooking. If you use a wire bristle brush, thoroughly inspect the grill’s surface before cooking. Wire bristles from grill cleaning brushes may dislodge and stick into food on the grill.Don’t Cross-contaminate – Throw out marinades and sauces that have touched raw meat juices, which can spread germs to cooked foods. Use clean utensils and a clean plate to remove cooked meat from the grill.Cook – Use a food thermometer to ensure meat is cooked hot enough to kill harmful germs. See proper smoking and grilling temperatures.Refrigerate – Divide leftovers into small portions and place in covered, shallow containers. Put in freezer or fridge within two hours of cooking (one hour if above 90°F outside). |