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Health Experts Offer Tips To Avoid Food-Related Illnesses This Summer

Barbecue
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In addition to remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces, Memorial Day also kicks off the unofficial start of summer, and that means picnics and barbecues.  So it never hurts to be reminded of holiday food safety tips.

Due to a variety of reasons, including the warmer weather,food-borne illness increases in the summer.

Washtenaw County health officials are sharing tips from the United States Department of Agriculture, which suggests four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill.

When cooking on the grill, use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items.

Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked thoroughly to their safe minimum internal temperatures.

Perishable food served outdoors should not sit out for more than two hours.  In hot weather, above 90 degrees, food should not sit out for more than an hour.

If you think you've heard all this before, keep in mind that one in six people get food poisoning each year. 

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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu

Lisa Barry was a reporter, and host of All Things Considered on 89.1 WEMU.
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