Its official- BBQ season is here!

With the beginning of long weekend season and the BBQs heating up I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you of some food safety tips for warm weather dining.

Warmer , seasonal,  temperatures can affect foods  during preparation, holding, cooking and service, so  special attention is required to make sure food is safe.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when  prepping, cooking and serving food:

• Always wash your hands with soap and  warm water before handling food  and during any new stage from preparation to service. 
• Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.  Avoid the temperature danger zone (4 C/40F to 60C/140F).  Do not leave the food out for more than two hours in the temperature danger zone. 
• Do not let foods linger during preparation – cook them thoroughly and serve them quickly.  Keep hot foods hot with warming trays or crock pots.   
• Keep raw meat  separated from cooked meat  and ready to eat foods.   When you are carrying meat to the BBQ, bring an extra plate for the cooked meat. 
•  When frozen food, such as meat is thawed, cook immediately after thawing. Allow sufficient time for food to defrost properly.
• Cook meat thouroughly.  You cannot tell when meat is done by simply looking at the colour of the meat or juices, so use a food thermometer to check. 
•  Platters with vegetables, dips, cheeses, and deli meats should be kept fresh and safe by keeping the platter  chilled on  ice.  Replace containers of dips and other foods,  do not replenish  them.    

•  Use  chilled  leftovers within four days for best quality or freeze  them immediately  for later use. Reheat   leftovers to at least 74°C or 165°F until “steaming” hot.

 Enjoy your long weekend!