Bacteria thrive on summertime foods

By Terri Coles

TORONTO (Reuters) -- Sunny weather and al fresco dining provide lots of opportunities for fun during the summer, but they can also create situations that compromise food safety.

In these days of food scares, the latest being a salmonella outbreak linked to certain types of tomatoes that has poisoned over 350 people in 30 states this month, it's important to know where the hazards are -- starting outside.

Hot weather and outdoor cooking can lead to food contamination and a variety of illnesses, said nutrition instructor Katie Eliot of Saint Louis University in St. Louis. Many of the illnesses resulting from improper food handling are minor and only cause a day or two of discomfort, but some can have serious consequences or even kill you, Eliot said.

Fortunately, it's relatively easy to keep bacteria from thriving on your food: keep food cold, cook it to the proper temperature, wash your hands, and use separate dishes and utensils for raw and cooked foods, said registered dietician Lona Sandon of UT Southwestern in Dallas

"The main thing, for sure, in the summer months is temperatures of your food," Sandon said. Food requiring refrigeration should not be left out for longer than two hours -- and no more than one hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, she said.

Indoors, about half of fridges aren't cold enough -- between 32 and 40 degrees -- to keep bacteria from growing on food, Sandon said, adding that meat should be thawed in the fridge not on kitchen counters or in the sink.

Coolers are key when food will be outside for longer periods of time, such as during camping trips. An ideal ratio is 75 percent food and 25 percent ice, Eliot said. The food containers should be surrounded by ice on all sides, not just on the bottom, and ice should be refreshed as it melts.

Sandon also points out that meat should be kept cold before it's put on the grill. "A lot of people make that mistake," she said. "They just throw it in the bag, put it in the car, and off they go. And now the meat's sat out for an hour in warm temperatures, and now you handle it with your hands and put it on the grill, and there's your risk for contaminating other foods and other things that you might be handling."

To be sure your dinner is ready on the grill, get a meat thermometer so you can check the temperature in the middle, Eliot advised. Different meats are cooked and safe at different temperatures; 145 degrees is good for fish while ground beef should be cooked until it hits 160. A safe number across the board is 170, she said, the safe inner temperature for chicken.

Meats and eggs -- or egg-based foods like mayonnaise -- are most at risk for bacteria growth and subsequent food poisoning, Sandon said. Ground beef holds a higher risk than steak because there could be bacteria in the center of a hamburger, but the bacteria is on the outside of a steak and therefore easier to cook off. Avoid poking or cutting steak often while it's cooking, she said, because that can push bacteria on the top of the meat into the center.

Plenty of hand washing with soap and hot water when handling food can also help prevent cross-contamination, Sandon said. If you aren't near soap and water, use moist towelettes or hand sanitizing gel or lotion. Rinsing your hands under water for a few seconds is not enough to remove bacteria, she said. "That's probably the biggest no-no that people do and they don't think about it."

Another area of concern is cross contamination between raw and cooked meats. At home, Eliot uses separate plates to make sure juices and bacteria from raw meat don't end up on cooked meat. Using separate knives and cutting boards for raw and cooked food is also important.

Many people are aware of the measures needed to keep their food safe, Sandon said, but they often forget in the moment. "Until they've had an incident where they do get sick, or someone else gets sick, and then they realize the importance," she said. "A lot of people learn it the hard way."

Food poisoning will usually take 12 to 36 hours to kick in, Eliot said, and symptoms include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Dizziness and bloody diarrhea could be the result of more serious illnesses like botulism or E. coli, she said, and indicate that you should seek immediate medical attention.

Most people will recover from a case of food poisoning after a period of unpleasantness, but some bacteria can cause serious complications; carrot juice was recalled in 2006 after several people in Canada and the United States developed botulism.

While food poisoning is usually not serious for a healthy individual, Sandon pointed out that children, the elderly and those with immune systems compromised by injury or illness are at a higher risk of suffering more serious consequences when they develop food poisoning. "You do have to keep these basic things in mind, especially when you're feeding other people," she said.

What are your food safety tips? Let us know: HealthMatters@reuters.com