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The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 76 million persons get sick, 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 die as a result of foodborne illnesses per year. Foodborne disease is caused by consuming contaminated foods or beverages.

During the summer months people love to have barbeques and picnics. With family and friends to talk to, and kids to play with, it is very easy to get distracted. When this happens, food can be left out in the sun for hours. The longer food sits out, the higher the risk for foodborne illnesses to occur.

Take these necessary safety measures to decrease the occurrence :

• Wash your hands often, especially after touching raw meats and uncooked eggs.
• Cook all foods to their proper temperaturs. A chicken filet should be at 170°F. A list of cooking temperatures can be found at: www.isitdoneyet.gov.
• Refrigerate foods promptly. Do not let them sit out in the sun for long periods of time.
• Handle and prepare food safely. Keep a clean, disinfected surface to work on.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
• Do no reuse marinades that contained raw meat or eggs unless they are being cooked to a boil.
• Use ice packs to keep cold food cold.