Fourth of July food safety tips

Avoid E. coli and other food-borne illnesses

In light of the recent Kroger ground beef recall, and with the Fourth of July coming up, we're focusing on food safety in today's health alert.

We want you to be aware of what you need to know to make sure no one winds up at the doctor's office. With food prices up significantly, your holiday barbeque menu may include burgers and hot dogs this year. But, keep food safety in mind, especially with the recent E. coli cases linked to Kroger ground beef.

We checked with a Toledo family doctor about food poisoning symptoms, specifically E. coli. Dr. Cathy Cantor is a Promedica family physician. She tells us they're "just your normal digestive symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are some of the most common. Yu also can get fever, and just systemic fatigue, things of that nature. But your most common are going to be the nausea, vomiting and diarrhea."

So, what can you do to keep your Independence Day party-goers safe? Food safety tips from Promedica epidemiologist Brian Dick include:

• Wash tomatoes
• Always cook ground beef to 160 degrees. Test the meat by putting a food thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Wash the thermometer after each use.
• Never put cooked hamburgers or meat on the plate they were on before cooking.
• Keep raw meat away from other foods.
• Keep your cutting boards sanitary by washing them with soapy water, rinse then treat with a fresh diluted bleach solution  or place in dishwasher.
• Don't eat ground beef that is pink in the middle. If a restaurant serves you an undercooked hamburger, send it back for more cooking. Ask for a new bun and a clean plate, too.
• Wash your hands often, especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers, before and after eating or preparing food.
• Keep cold foods cold (like potato salad, cole slaw) and hot foods hot (like meatballs). At pot lucks, use slow cookers to keep food hot and ice to keep salads cold.
• Do not allow meats to thaw at room temperature  thaw in your refrigerators.
• Bring an alcohol hand sanitizing product to cleanse your hands before handling food.
• Keep your cold food packed on ice.
• Perishable foods that are in open bowls likely will not keep very long after the picnic. Safest is to bring only enough food for the picnic and toss the leftovers.

Dr. Cantor says E. coli can be very serious, depending on how bad a strain it is. She says symptoms show up 24 to 48 hours after eating bad food. If you think you may be a victim of food poisoning, she suggests you get checked out by your doctor as soon as possible.

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