August 2012
Food Safety While Traveling Whether you are making a short trip to the beach or traveling across the country, packing your favorite foods safely should be a top priority. Each year millions of people become sick due to food borne illness caused by contaminated foods. Food borne illness often presents itself as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever; so many people don’t recognize the illness is caused by bacteria. Most cases of food borne illness can be prevented. Proper cooking, storage and/or processing of food destroy bacteria. To prevent problems during your trip, following some general rules could prevent a mild case of stomach irritation or a serious illness. 1. Plan: When traveling with perishable food (meat, fish, poultry, eggs and salads) make sure to always keep it in a cooler with plenty of ice, freezer packs or gel-packs. Most freezer and jell-packs are reusable but must be thoroughly cleaned after each use. When you take perishable foods along for eating on the road or to cook at a vacation site, keep everything on ice until ready to use. 2. Pack Safely: Keep raw meat and poultry wrapped separately from cooked foods, or foods meant to be eaten raw such as fruit. Pack perishable foods directly from the refrigerator or freezer into the cooler. Meat and poultry packed frozen will stay cooler longer. Remember, a full cooler will maintain its cold temperatures longer than one that is partially filled. Beverage should be kept in a separate cooler so the perishable food cooler is not opened so frequently. Keep a thermometer handy to check the temperature of foods stored. Cold foods should be kept at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. 3. Camping: Remember to keep the cooler in a shady area and cover with a blanket, tarp, or poncho. Bring bottled water or other beverages for drinking. Water in streams, lakes and rivers are not always safe for drinking. It is also a good idea to pack purification tablets or equipment when traveling in remote areas.