July 1, 2002 - Grilling, barbecuing, picnics and other outdoor celebrations are a key part of many Michigan Independence Day and summer get-togethers. By following simple, safe food handling practices, consumers can greatly reduce their risk of foodborne illness, according to Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Dan Wyant.

"Food safety and security are MDA’s top priorities and we work collectively with the food and agriculture industry to ensure a safe food supply from the farm to the retail store," Wyant said. "Consumers also play an important role in preventing foodborne illness at home this 4^th of July holiday, throughout the summer and year-round by following simple, but key, food handling practices."

Wyant recommends these basic tips for celebrating the summer season safely:

• Always wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling food.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
• Carry picnic food in a cooler with a cold pack. Keep the cooler in the shade with the lid on.
• Never leave perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. When outdoor temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit (F), food shouldn't be left out for more than an hour.
• Use clean dishes and utensils to serve food. Each dish should have its own, clean serving utensil.
• Preheat coals for 20 to 30 minutes, or until coals are lightly coated with ash, when grilling foods.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure foods reach safe internal temperatures. Cooking by checking the color of the meat is not enough.
• Serve grilled food on a clean plate - not the same one that held raw meat, poultry or fish.

In addition, Wyant pointed to the tremendous diversity, quality and high reputation of Michigan-grown and processed food products and suggested visiting one of the state’s many farm markets, farmers’ markets or roadside stands to "Select Michigan" products for these 4^th of July or summer meals.

In fact, Michigan residents and visitors can locate many of these operations online by visiting MDA’s searchable database at www.michigan.gov/mda. More than 250 operations are listed by region, city, farm name or crop type, and are drawn from the Department’s 2002-2003 Michigan Farm Market and U-Pick Directory. Listings include phone numbers, driving directions, operational hours, and the products and services available.