Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Pack summer picnic feast safely

Summer is a great time to enjoy a picnic, but picnic food can cause illness if the food is mishandled. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), all food should be prepared and stored properly to avoid foodborne illness. Then it must be packed safely for traveling.

Jananne Finck

During picnic season, more people become ill from foodborne bacteria. Listed are some tips for packing a safe picnic basket for farmers in the field or a family picnic in the park:

• Try to plan just the right amount of foods to take. This avoids worrying about the storage and safety of leftovers.

• Clean preparation is a must. Wash hands and work areas and be sure all utensils are clean before preparing food.

• Keep perishable food - ham, potato salad, ground meat, hot dogs, deviled eggs, custard or cream pies, in a cooler. The cooler should be well-insulated and packed with ice, or you can use a freeze-pack/gel insert.

• Foods to be cooked ahead should be cooked in plenty of time to thoroughly chill them in the refrigerator. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40°. Pack food from the refrigerator right into the cooler

• If planning on take-out foods such as fried chicken or barbecued meat, eat them within two hours of pick-up or buy ahead of time and chill before packing the food into the cooler.

• Don't put the cooler in the trunk; give it a cool ride in the passenger area, if possible.

• Use a separate cooler for drinks so the one containing perishable food won't be constantly opened and closed.

• Except when it's being served, the food should be stored in a cooler. When possible, place the cooler in the shade and keep the lid on.

• Remember the danger zone: Perishable foods should not be in the 40-140° range for more than two hours. When the temperature is 90° or above, perishable foods should not be in the danger zone for more than one hour.

• Place leftover foods in the cooler promptly after grilling or serving. Replenish ice, if needed to maintain the cold temperature. Remember, if in doubt, throw it out.

• Bacteria can be present in most any food as well as on people's hands. Safe food handling is essential for safe picnics.

Egg safety and homemade ice cream

Eggs are a tasty ingredient in many homemade ice cream recipes — but the eggs should be handled safely. Egg mixtures for ice cream can be made safely from a cooked base. To be safe, the cooked custard mixture should reach 160°.

Heat the egg-milk mixture gently. Use a thermometer to check the temperature or be sure the mixture coats a metal spoon.

This cooking step should destroy salmonella bacteria that might be present in raw eggs. The USDA and Illinois Extension recommend cooking your favorite homemade ice cream recipe if it uses raw eggs.

USDA also recommends cooking the custard mixture if whole liquid pasteurized eggs are used. This is especially important if serving high-risk people. This includes the very young, the very old, and anyone with a weakened immunity system.

Lowfat Homemade Ice Cream 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 cups reduced fat (2 percent) milk 4 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons vanilla 4 cups Half & Half   Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the top of a double boiler. Gradually blend in 4 cups milk. Cook over hot water, stirring occasionally until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir a small amount of the hot cornstarch mixture into the beaten eggs, then stir the eggs into remaining cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking, stirring constantly four to five minutes longer, or until the mixture is about the consistency of pudding. Chill thoroughly. This step is essential for a smooth ice cream. Stir in vanilla and remaining milk or cream. Pour into a one gallon ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Remove dasher and cover tightly. Add mixture of ice and salt to freezer, if needed. Cover with heavy blanket and allow ice cream to harden about two hours.

Jananne Fink is a nutrition and wellness educator, Springfield Extension Center

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 1998