Keep Your Food Safe on the 4th!

While most of us are packing the coolers for leisurely BBQs this holiday weekend, food safety should still be a priority. Restaurants and other groups serving a large number of guests should also take extra caution to avoid contamination during the chaotic rush of the outdoor holiday crowd!

Lex18.com has a great list of helpful reminders to prevent illness:

• Wash your hands before and after handling food. Be sure all utensils and plates are clean.
• To sanitize surfaces, use a solution of regular household bleach and warm water.
• Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods. Use different cutting boards or wash, rinse and sanitize after contact with raw meat, poultry and seafood. Never use the same plate to transport the cooked hamburgers that was used for the raw hamburger patties.
• Handle all cut melons carefully, including cantaloupe and watermelon. Thoroughly clean the outer surface before slicing, and keep work surface and utensils used to prepare a melon clean and sanitized.
• Use the refrigerator for thawing or thaw under cool running water. You may use the microwave for thawing, but grill immediately. Always marinate meats in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate meat and poultry until ready for use. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it at 135 degrees F or warmer.
• Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
• Within two hours cool and maintain leftovers at 41 F or lower or freeze at zero degrees or lower.
• Use a meat thermometer to check for the following internal meat temperatures:

Poultry - 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Red meat - 160 F
Pork - 160 F
Fish - 160 F

The PR Newswire also has a handy list of backyard BBQ do's and don'ts!

Looking for some good summer recipes? The Early Show has some great ideas!

The LA Times wants to teach you how to grill the perfect steak.

Everyone at Pacific Food Distributors wishes you a safe and happy 4th of July!