Potlucks, Picnics & Food Poisoning

We love eating al fresco in sunny weather but warm temperatures means that bacteria grow more easily in food so we must be extra careful with hygiene rules.

You cannot see, smell or taste dangerous bacteria. If certain foods are not kept cold enough, they will not stay safe. If you then eat this food, you may get flu-like symptoms caused by food poisoning.

• Follow picnic safety guidelines and keep cold food below 45 degrees Fahrenheit and hot food above 140.

• Clean preparation is of the utmost importance as far as food hygiene is concerned. Wash your hands and work areas and ensure that all utensils are clean before preparing the picnic.

• Foods cooked in advance, but to be served cold, should be prepared with time enough to chill them thoroughly in the fridge before being packed in a cool box or ice chest.

• Wrap all foods separately. Put the food in the bottom of the cool box with ice packs on the top. A full box retains the cold longer than a partially full one, so fill empty spaces with extra ice or ice packs.

• Put any raw food for barbecues in separate bags or foil and don’t pack them close to ready-to-eat food to avoid cross-contamination.

• Do not partially cook meat to barbecue later. This would allow bacteria to multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.

• Thaw frozen meat, poultry and seafood in the fridge, not at room temperature. Marinade in the fridge too, before transferring to the cool box for transportation.

• Transport the food inside the car and not in the boot/trunk, which, without air conditioning or open windows, is always hotter.

• Always put barbecued food onto a clean plate to avoid cross-contamination. Never use a plate that the food was on in its raw state.

• If a marinade had raw meat, poultry or fish in it, don’t use it on cooked food.

Berry Chicken Salad Recipe