Food and warm weather - the hidden dangers

Warm weather brings with it light evenings, a sense of enjoyment of outside areas and eating al fresco. We highlight some of the ways you can ensure you stay safe and healthy, during what should be the most pleasant months of the year.

During the days of summer, we plan picnics and barbeques and a more relaxed attitude to meals generally. It is little wonder, therefore, that the number of cases of food poisoning tend to rise during the summer. Food poisoning need not happen and the rules for ensuring it does not are very simple. We at MyHealthPortal have put together the guidelines for helping you stay safe and well, whilst eating out and away from home.

Al Fresco Dining

Preparation of a meal outside is the most important factor when considering the risks of food poisoning. Temperature is the biggest overall risk. If cold food is left out for long periods in warm temperatures, the risk of food poisoning rises. If cooked food is not heated to a high enough temperature, it also becomes risky to consume.

To summarise, then, food should always be prepared in clean surroundings using clean implements (quite an easy task to accomplish if at home, but something to which some thought needs to be given, if picnicking); hot food should be really hot, (all the way through), and cold food should be kept as cold as possible or at least, exposed to warm air for as short a time as possible. If these three simple rules are observed, the possibility of food poisoning is minimised.

Preparation in clean surroundings is the first step. Most people who cook on a regular basis are aware of the importance of hand washing prior to handling food; that raw meat and cooked meat should be prepared separately and raw vegetables separately again. However, when dining in the fresh air, it is not uncommon for people not normally involved in food preparation, to assist - and a careful watch should be kept on their technique.

If preparing food outside (perhaps on a campsite or picnic area), hands should still be washed prior to food preparation and between handling raw and cooked meat and other food. Assigning related tasks to different people can help greatly in preventing the transference of bacteria from one food group to another. If supplies of running water for hand washing are problematic, pack antibacterial hand wipes for the event and ensure everyone knows when to use them. Children, especially the younger ones, have the tendency to touch anything and everything, so ensure that they wash their hands before eating.

All food (raw and cooked), should be kept as cold as possible until immediately prior to cooking or serving. Insulated boxes with adequate supplies of ice packs should be used - and it is now possible to find insulated boxes which can be plugged into the electrical socket in a car and used as a mobile refrigerator. Needless to say, all food, boxed or otherwise, should be kept out of the sun and covered against insect contamination.

Barbeque cooking

Many eager barbeque-ers are unused to cooking. The art of lighting and using a barbeque grill is not as simple as it looks. If food is placed on the grill too early, whilst there are still flames, it will singe on the outside and look cooked (or even overcooked); until cut into, when it will become apparent that the centre is raw. This is one of the greatest risks of eating outside. Poultry, in particular, can be very dangerous if eaten before it is thoroughly cooked. The secret is to allow time for the fire to burn - and then die down until it is still very hot, but there are no longer any flames. The food can then be placed on the barbeque in the hottest part, sealed and then moved to a slightly cooler part of the grill, when it can be allowed to cook through without becoming charred on the outside. Meat should be carefully checked to ensure it is thoroughly cooked, prior to being served.

Picnics

Exactly the same rules apply to picnics, although much of the preparation will probably have been done at home. Once again, keeping the food cold from the time of preparation until immediately prior to serving is the greatest contribution which can be made to the prevention of food poisoning. Try to ensure there is a raised level on which to serve food. If served at ground level, there will be a risk of ant infestation or contamination from animals previously on the site.

Food which has been previously cooked and quickly chilled will be safest (quiches and pies for example). The riskiest foods are seafood and fresh cream; both of which can be safely served if the chilling system you employ is efficient.

In short, eating out should be one of the pleasures of the summer months. Food poisoning is easily avoided by the observation of these simple rules and the summer outdoor occasions will then become the source of good; and not unpleasant, memories