Everybody loves outdoor grilling in the summer months. Here are some tips to avoid food poisoning caused by germs growing too quickly in the summer heat.

Wash your hands and forearms thoroughly before preparing or serving food. Use warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

WHILE YOU ARE COOKING...

Meats must be cooked to the proper temperature to assure safety.

Germs such as E-coli and salmonella can still be present in undercooked meats such as hamburger and chicken. These germs can cause severe illness and even death.

While the juice color will usually change from red to gray when the meat is fully cooked, it is not a reliable test to assure it is safe to eat. Always check the temperature with a meat thermometer.

Foods that reach the temperature listed or higher are fully cooked.

Chicken 165 F
Hamburger 160 F
Pork 150 F
Hot dogs 140 F

Leftovers 165 F
Eggs 145 F
Other foods 140 F

Insert the thermometer into the center of the meat, which is the least cooked part. For checking hot dogs, go from the end of the hot dog to the center. Be careful not to pass through the meat and touch the cooking surface or you will get a false high temperature reading.

Wash your hands after touching raw meat! Use utensils to handle the cooked meat. Do not place cooked meat on surfaces that had raw meat.

WHILE YOU ARE SERVING FOOD...

Serve the first-cooked meats first. Make sure the food is used before the temperature drops under 140 degrees, and within two hours.

Cold foods need to be kept cold. Keep them refrigerated (at 40o F) or stored in coolers with lots of ice until ready to eat.

Before serving, wash your hands thoroughly. Avoid touching food such as rolls, bread etc. with your bare hands. Wash your hands after touching raw or undercooked foods.

Use a utensil when serving food.

Refrigerate any leftovers immediately! Never leave food at room temperature for more than two hours.

WHENEVER WORKING WITH FOOD...

Leave the food preparation area to smoke, eat, or drink.

When you return, wash your hands thoroughly before handling any food.

Wash your hands after any contact with unclean surfaces -- after handling trash or raw meat, eating or smoking, using the bathroom, handling pets, or dirtying your hands during any activity.

Information courtesy of New York State Health Department