Have you been camping lately? Are you going camping? Either way, you'll need to make sure you keep your food safe to protect your family and friends. Here are five ways that you can keep your food safe from transportation to consumption.

1.) Transportation: Keep food safe during transport by doing the following

• Keep perishable cold foods under 41F degrees by using ice or ice packs in a cooler.
• Keep non-perishable foods free from extreme heat or coming into contact with sharp edges.
• Keep warm foods that may be traveling above 135F degrees. If using time as a public health control it needs to be thrown out after 4 hours if not kept at 135F.

• Cook foods to a safe internal temperature
  • 135F: Vegetables, fruits, or precooked foods
  • 145F: Whole cuts of fish, beef, pork, lamb, and eggs.
  • 155F: Ground meats: pork, beef, lamb, deer.
  • 165F: All poultry: chicken, turkey, duck; and stuffed products

• Keep a small container of dish soap, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, hand towels, and paper towels on hand.
• Clean utensils, cutting boards, cups, and plates. We like cutting mats because they take up less space. Utensil kits for individuals are great as well for keeping everything consolidated and reducing waste.
• Keep pots, pans, skewers, grates, etc. clean.
• Keep potable water on hand via a clean water pump or stream. Boil water from the stream or use water purification tablets.
• Consider single-use gloves to handle foods that pose a foodborne illness risk.

• Cook only what is needed.
• Cool food down to 41F or below within 6 hours. Then put in a cooler at 41F or below.
• Store food in a place where critters cannot easily smell and track them.
• Ziplock bags are great for storing food and conserving space.
• Use foil and a small fire to keep hot foods hot if you're trying to keep it for folks who graze or will be arriving back at the site. Remember after being held for four hours without proper temperature control at 135F, the food must be thrown out.

Resources

• NC State Food Safety Resources
• Fire Safety Outdoors
• Iowa State Extension
• Illinois Extension