Everyone loves eating outdoors, but if you don’t keep food safe, the experience can end in illness. Here are some tips from the Canadian Food Safety Agency to use when picnicking and hiking:
– Hot food must be kept hot at or above 60 C (140 F), and cold food must be kept cold at or below 4 C (40 F).
– When transporting food to picnic sites, it can be difficult to keep food hot, so keep it cold and heat it up when you get to your destination.
– Take perishable food in a cooler that keeps food cold at or below 4 C (40 F). Food safety experts recommend using freezer ice packs because they drip less. Loose ice or cubes can melt, then drip and possibly transfer contaminants from one food to another. If you use loose ice, store everything in sealed containers to prevent cross-contamination.
– Refrigerate or freeze food, if possible, the day before you pack it. This way it’s already cold when you put it in the cooler.
Get daily National news
– Place your cooler in the coolest part of your vehicle when you’re travelling. On hot days, use the air conditioning, if you can, to keep food cool.
– Keep the cooler out of the sun and keep the lid closed as much as possible. You may want to use two coolers – one for drinks (since it may be opened more often) and another for food.
– Separate raw food from cooked food. Place raw meat and poultry in sealed containers and pack them at the bottom of the cooler to keep their juices from dripping onto other food. Or pack raw meat in a separate cooler.
– Clean utensils, plates and trays after each use. Wash and sanitize inside the cooler before and after each use.
– Bring soap and wash your hands with clean, safe water for at least 20 seconds. Always wash after you touch raw meat, poultry, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables; use the washroom; change a diaper; touch an animal or touch any dirty surface.
For more information on food safety, visit the CFIA website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca.
Comments