Pack Food Safety on your Next Hike or Camping Trip

Aug 30, 2022

Mountaineering and tenting are good Labor Day weekend actions, and there’s one thing particular about having fun with a meal whereas admiring nature. To make sure your expertise stays foodborne sickness free, comply with these meals security ideas.

Keep away from the “Hazard Zone”

Micro organism multiply quickly between 40 F and 140 F, aka the “Danger Zone“. When you’re packing perishable meals, maintain them chilly (beneath 40 F) through the use of a cooler or insulated container with chilly sources like ice, gel packs, or frozen water bottles. Observe the 2-hour rule and don’t depart your perishables at an unsafe temperature above 40 F for greater than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it’s a scorching day (above 90 F). This additionally applies to most sandwiches!

Clear Palms

It’s necessary to scrub your arms when dealing with meals. Washing arms with cleaning soap and water is the best, however should you’re climbing or making ready meals at a campsite with out easy accessibility to operating water, have hand sanitizer (at the very least 60 p.c alcohol) or moist towelettes out there.

Use a Meals Thermometer

Grilling burgers over the campfire? Make sure that to pack a meals thermometer. All uncooked meat and poultry should attain a protected minimal inside temperature earlier than they’re fit for human consumption. Cook dinner burgers made with floor beef, pork, veal or lamb to 160 F, and poultry burgers to 165 F as measured by a meals thermometer. Cook dinner complete cuts of beef, pork, veal or lamb to 145 F with a 3-minute relaxation time, fish to 145 F, and all poultry to 165 F.

Plan Forward

Have questions on learn how to greatest put together to your climbing or tenting journey? Name or e-mail the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline to get recommendation from a meals security skilled: 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or MPHotline@usda.gov.