The public should be aware of the risk of food poisoning on camping trips, as camping has grown in popularity in the past few years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Saturday.
The agency posted a list on Facebook of its five tips to prevent food poisoning while camping: wash hands thoroughly before preparing food and cover wounds with a bandage; take fresh food ingredients and clean water; separate raw and cooked food and utensils used to prepare them; cook food thoroughly; and keep food ingredients at temperatures below 7°C.
Keeping ingredients brought from home fresh at low temperatures is important, as the travel time between home and a campsite can be several hours, while camping trips can run from overnight to several days, the FDA said.
All types of raw meat, seafood, dairy products, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables and deli food should be kept at low temperatures in cooler boxes or bags or a small refrigerator, it said.
A small plugged-in refrigerator would be the best option, as it can maintain a stable low temperature, the agency said.
However, if people decide to use cooler bags or boxes, they should remember to put in more ice packs as such coolers can only maintain low temperatures for a short period of time, it said.
Raw and processed foods should be kept separately, preferably in different sealed containers, in a cooler box or refrigerator, as raw food might contain bacteria, microorganisms or parasites that can contaminate processed foods, it said.
Wet food ingredients should be kept at the bottom of coolers or fridges and dry food ingredients at the top, to prevent possible contamination from leaking liquids, it said.
Using separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods can also prevent cross contamination, the agency said, adding that raw food should be cooked thoroughly to kill bacteria, and the core temperature should reach at least 70°C.
People should consume their cooked food as soon as possible, as keeping food out in the open air for too long can increase the risk of bacterial contamination and food poisoning, leading to diarrhea or vomiting, the FDA said.
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