As temperatures rise we begin to spend more time working, playing and even dining outside. But with the heat, food-borne bacteria begin to grow more rapidly, sometimes doubling in as little as 20 minutes.

From storage to clean up, these simple guidelines will help ensure a safe and spoil-free summer:

Refrigeration Storage Times

• Eggs, fresh in the shell: 3 weeks
• Eggs, hard-cooked: 7 days
• Mayonnaise, commercial, opened: 2 months
• Ground meat: 1 - 2 days
• Ham, fully cooked: 3 - 5 days
• Hot dogs, opened package: 7 days
• Lunch meats, opened package: 3 - 5 days
• Bacon: 7 days
• Sausage/pork/beef/chicken/turkey: 1 - 2 days
• Smoked breakfast links or patties: 7 days
• Fresh meats/beef/veal/lamb/pork: 3 - 5 days
• Fresh poultry: 1 - 2 days
• Cooked meat leftovers: 3 - 4 days
  In gravy or broth: 1 - 2 days
  
• Cooked poultry leftovers: 3 - 4 days
  In gravy or broth: 1 - 2 days
  
• Milk containers (opened): 7 days
• Milk containers (unopened): 30 days
• Hard and semi-hard cheese: 30 days
• Soft cheese: 7 days

Pantry Storage Times

• Cereal (opened): 2 - 3 months
• Cereal (unopened): 6 - 12 months
• Pastas (spaghetti, macaroni): 2 years
• Canned food: 2 years

Food Transportation and Storage

• When carrying food to a picnic or barbecue site, store items in a cooler filled with ice to minimize bacterial growth. A full cooler will stay cold longer than one that is partially filled.
• Transport canned food unopened and don't forget your can opener.
• Cold foods should be stored at 40°F or lower and hot foods at 140°F or higher.
• Canned foods should be stored at temperatures between 60°F and 70°F.
• To avoid cross-contamination, place packages of raw meat, poultry and fish in sealed containers to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods.
• Make sure cold foods have plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator before transporting.

Food Preparation

• Prepare all foods on clean counters and cutting boards and never cut raw or canned fruits, vegetables or other items on the same board used for raw meats.
• When grilling, use separate platters and utensils for raw and cooked meat or poultry.
• Defrost meat and poultry in the refrigerator; never leave these items on the counter to defrost at room temperature.
• Always marinate food in the refrigerator and do not re-use the marinade unless it is boiled at least two minutes.
• When using canned ingredients, do not open cans until needed.
• Keep knives and utensils clean before, during and after food preparation.

Proper Cooking and Serving

• Perishable foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. In hot weather (90°F and above), food should not be left out more than one hour. Discard any food left out beyond these limits.
• Canned foods are sufficiently heated to be commercially sterile, eliminating potential sources of food-borne illness.
• When cooking meat, thorough cooking will destroy bacteria that cause illness - use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
• Never partially grill any meat or poultry to use later. Once you begin cooking, continue until the meat is completely done.
• Meat, fish and ground red meats should be grilled or cooked to 160°F; ground poultry to 165°F;
• Poultry breasts should be cooked to 170°F and baked poultry to 180°F.
• Don't replenish half-full platters; replace them completely with chilled or freshly cooked food.

Leftovers and Clean Up

• To encourage even, rapid cooling, cooked leftovers should be divided into small shallow containers and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
• To keep leftovers hot, place them in an oven set at 200 - 250°F.
• Place unused canned food in clean storage containers to ensure optimum flavor.
• Using paper towels will reduce the risk of cross-contamination, because they can be thrown away.
• Wash can opener and other utensils with soap and hot water before and after each use.
• Hot soapy water will adequately clean most surfaces, but be sure to rinse the surface with clean water to remove any remaining soap and debris.
• Antibacterial cleaners offer a safe, effective way to clean eating areas, just check to make sure they are EPA-registered disinfectants.
• A mixture of bleach and water also can be used as a disinfectant (exactly one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water); the mixture must be made fresh for each usage.