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Barbeque season is upon us!

All across the country, families are enjoying the taste of chicken and one of their favourite ways to cook it is on the barbeque. Whether you use the barbeque year-round, or just in the summer, there are always things you must remember to keep your food safe.

    Home May 2007

1. Get off to a CLEAN start!

    • Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. Have you washed your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling food? Wash again when you switch from one food to another.

2. CHILL out by the BBQ!

    • Keep food cool at or below 4ºC (40ºF). It’s best to keep perishable food in the fridge or cooler until you are ready to cook it or eat it. Bacteria can grow and "spoil" food left in the temperature danger zone (4º to 60ºC/40º to 140ºF) for more than two hours. On a hot summer day, consider decreasing this to one hour or less.
    • Keep the cooler cool. Pack the cooler with freezer packs to keep the temperature at or below 4ºC (40ºF). Keep the cooler away from direct sunlight.
    • Food safety tip: You may want to use two coolers – one for drinks (since it may get opened more often) and another for food.

3. COOK safely!

    • Have a digital food thermometer handy. Prevent foodborne illness by cooking food to a safe internal temperature. Food safety experts say food thermometers are the only way to cook foods safely without overcooking!
    • Keep hot food hot at or above 60ºC (140ºF) to prevent the growth of bacteria and reduce the chance of foodborne illness.

4. SEPARATE raw and cooked food!

    • Raw food can cross-contaminate cooked food and cause foodborne illness. Keep raw and cooked food separate and covered.
    • Food safety tip: Before putting meat in the marinade, set some marinade aside in the fridge so you can use it later to baste meat or as a dipping sauce. Do not use leftover marinade from the raw food on the cooked food.
    • Have clean plates and cooking utensils ready. Never use the same plate, tray or utensils for raw and cooked food. Raw meat juices can spread bacteria to your safely cooked food and cause foodborne illness!

Chicken Farmers of Canada: 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7S8 Tel: (613) 241-2800 Fax: (613) 241-5999 Email: cfc@chicken.ca