Fact Sheet-08-06 Safety First in Outdoor Food Preparation

Summertime is when bacteria flourish, especially when you have surroundings of heat, humidity, and lack of cleanliness. As the temperature increases during the summer, the number of people who get sick from food poisoning (i.e., foodborne illness) goes up. Whether it is a family picnic, potluck buffet, barbecue, or campout, you need to protect yourself, your family, and friends. One-third of those who prepared meals reported unsafe food hygiene practices. For example, they did not wash hands or take precautions to prevent cross-contamination from raw meat (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, CFSAN). The following information summarizes what you as an individual can do to reduce the risk of food poisoning