Summertime in North Idaho gives way to some of the most beautiful days, allowing us to spend time with family and friends in the great outdoors. Gatherings almost always include food and beverages. Nothing would ruin a party more if one of your guests or you got sick from the food served.

Food safety is important all the time; however, outdoor warm temps in the summertime puts your food at greater risk to cause food-borne illnesses. There are six conditions which allow harmful bacteria to grow and FAT TOM is an acronym to help remember those conditions.

Food: Bacteria need food to survive. Like us, nutrients help them grow.

Acidity: Bacteria grow best in little to no acidity.

Time: Bacteria needs time to grow, but they do grow fast!

Temperature: Bacteria grow best in the danger zone, which is between the temperatures of 41 degrees F and 135 degrees F.

Oxygen: Many bacteria need oxygen to grow.

Moisture: Many bacteria need moisture to grow.

Keeping these conditions in mind, here are some helpful tips to avoid bacteria growth in your food:

1. Keep surfaces and hands clean. Bring disposable sanitizing wipes if you will be in an area without running water.

2. Do not cross-contaminate. Place beverages in a separate cooler than food. Keep raw meat and poultry securely wrapped to avoid juices from contaminating vegetables, fruit and other food. Organize cooler in a way much like your refrigerator with meats and poultry on the bottom. Wash all fruit and vegetables prior to packing into the cooler. Keep platters that hold the raw food separate from the platters in which the cooked food will be served.

3. Cook/grill foods to their appropriate temperatures. Bring a thermometer to check internal temperatures before serving. Some meats have a resting time before checking the temperature. You cannot always tell if a meat is thoroughly cooked just by looking at it. Use the attached chart, adapted from www.foodsafety.gov, as a guide for cooking and grilling.

4. Keep hot foods hot and keep cold foods cold. Time and temperature is the focus here. The goal is to avoid the danger zone so keep hot foods above 140 degrees F and cold foods below 40 degrees F. Keep cold, perishable foods in the cooler until serving time. Keep hot foods in insulated containers until serving to help maintain appropriate temperatures. Once served, whether cold or hot, do not keep foods out longer than two hours and on a day that’s 90 degrees F or higher, no longer than one hour. If foods are out longer than recommended times, throw it away.

Protect yourself, family, and friends when enjoying outdoor gatherings this summer. Following the above guidelines and tips will ensure gatherings are fun and safe from food-borne illnesses. If you are unsure about whether a food has been compromised or contaminated, remember this term: “When in doubt, throw it out!”

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Kimberly Young, MS, RDN, LD, is the WIC Coordinator at Panhandle Health District and a graduate of the University of Idaho Dietetic program.