Nothing says summer like firing up the grill and eating outside, whether it’s a picnic or a late-night weenie roast.
However, with days filled with sunshine, some people forget their food safety vigilance. Hot, humid weather is the perfect recipe for an afternoon spent by the pool, as well as incidence of food-borne illness.
Health Canada estimates that one in eight Canadians – or four million people –get sick with food-borne illness every year and many of these instances could be prevented by proper food-handling techniques.
"A common mistake that people make is thawing or marinating their meat on the counter," said Isabelle Dufresne, a scientific evaluator with Health Canada in the food safety division. "This could be safely done by putting it in the fridge."
Since conditions at room temperature are ripe for bacterial growth, the safest place to thaw meat, poultry, fish and seafood is in the refrigerator or in cold water.
The top four pathogens, or germs, that are responsible for food-borne illness in Canada are norovirus, clostridium perfringens, campylobacter and salmonella.
Noroviruses are responsible for up to 65 per cent of food-borne illnesses in Canada, causing viral gastroenteritis, also known as the stomach flu. The main source of norovirus is feces and vomit from the infected persons, which is often spread by way of food, water or person-to-person through contact with unwashed hands.
Since the virus can survive a long time on surfaces such as countertops or sink taps, health officials recommend washing hands, cooking utensils, sponges and kitchen surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria. Replacing worn cutting boards and using a clean plate for cooked meat rather than the same dish that was used to hold raw meat, will decrease the risk of cross-contamination.
"You can have bacteria pretty much anywhere," said Dufresne. "An important thing to remember is to wash the tip of your food thermometer in between every reading."
Health Canada recommends using a digital food thermometer to check when meat, poultry, fish and seafood are done since typical visual cues such as colour are not a guarantee that the food is safe.
Cooking foods to the recommended temperatures will reduce the risk of contamination by bacteria such as campylobacter and salmonella in raw or undercooked poultry, beef, pork and lamb, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk and milk products, raw vegetables and shellfish.
Homemade products such as salad dressings, hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, ice cream, cookie dough, tiramisu, and frostings have also been associated with salmonella.
Dufresne also advises people to "chill out" and remember to keep cold food cold.
"Keep perishable food away from the danger zone which is between four and 60 degrees Celsius. Refrigerate your perishables and leftovers within one to two hours," she added.
Properly storing, cooling and reheating foods is especially important to reduce contamination by clostridium perfringens, since cooking to normal temperatures does not kill the bacterial spores.
Foods high in protein or starch that have been association with the pathogen include: thick soups, stews, raw meat and poultry, gravies, dried or pre-cooked foods, cooked beans and meat pies.
In order to minimize the risks of food-borne illness, Health Canada recommends following four steps. First, clean hands and surfaces often to avoid the spread of bacteria. Secondly, separate raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood from cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Third, cook foods to the recommended temperatures to kill harmful bacteria. And finally, chill – keep cold food cold.
