Summer is the season for picnics, backyard barbecues, familyreunions and graduation parties, as friends and family membersgather outdoors to celebrate a milestone, or perhaps simply enjoythe beautiful summer weather.

When enjoying the sunshine with loved ones, getting sick may bethe last thing on your mind. But as most of these get-togethersinvolve dining al fresco, the warmer weather also makes it easy forbacteria to grow, potentially causing food poisoning. Year-round,most food poisoning cases are caused by salmonella, E. coli,campylobacter and listeria, but all of these bacteria grow morequickly in warmer temperatures. With outdoor buffets or picnics,often sans refrigeration, the risk of illness is much morelikely.

Some homeowners insurance policies cover food poisoning insituations where guests incur medical expenses or endure “pain andsuffering” by missing work. However, there are limits to both ofthese coverages. This summer, agents can help keep their clientsinformed about the nature of their policy, as well as providetactics for protecting party guests from foodborne illness.

Taking simple, cautionary steps can help minimize the threat offoodborne illness and keep the festivities going strong. Clickthrough the following slides for tips and tricks for hosts tominimize the risk for food poisoning this summer.

At the Grocery Store

We can usually count on buying safe food at the grocery storewith commercial food-handling regulations and packaging keeping therisk of illness low. However, when planning a big party, inspectingfood from the very beginning can help keep guests safe.

Before placing items in the cart, inspect the packaging and foodquality to minimize risk. Avoid purchasing meat that is in leakypackaging, as this can lead to cross-contamination, and check to besure that chilled food is actually kept cold. When buying raw meator seafood, try to place these items at the bottom of the grocerystore cart to ensure that they do not drip onto anything that couldcross-contaminate other purchases. Wrapping meats in a plastic bagcan help to minimize these risks even further.

Check fruits and vegetables for freshness and blemishes toensure quality, and don't purchase pre-sliced fruits and veggiesthat are not refrigerated.

Finally, if shopping on a hot day, consider bringing a cooler tokeep meats, eggs and frozen foods chilled on the drive home,especially if the commute to the grocer is more than a half anhour.

For Safe Food Prep

When preparing food at home, safe handling in the kitchen willalso help to mitigate the risk of contamination. Of course, one ofthe most obvious steps for keeping food bacteria-free is washingyour hands frequently, but especially after handling raw meats.

Keeping food safe comes down to cleanliness. Washing fruits andvegetables by running them under cool tap water. Scrubbinghard-surfaced produce such as potatoes can also help to remove dirtand bacteria. If fruit and vegetables appear bruised, cutting offthe damaged parts can help reduce risk, especially since bruisedareas are where bacteria tend to congregate.

When handling meat, it is important to take proper precautions.Do not, under any circumstances, defrost meat by leaving it on thekitchen counter. Defrosting in the fridge, in cold water (in asealed bag, changing the water every 30 minutes) or in themicrowave are the safest ways to defrost frozen meats.

It is also a common misconception that washing raw meats helpsto minimize bacteria. Washing raw meat can actually increasethe risk of food poisoning by splashing juices and bacteria ontodifferent surfaces in the kitchen, including the sink or counters.Be especially careful when handling meats, and disinfect any areasthat may have been contaminated.

Additionally, marinate raw meat in the refrigerator to ensurethat the meat stays cold.

For the Grill Master

Many picnics featured freshly grilled chicken, brats, burgers orhotdogs. And while some love being the “grill master,” making surethat safety precautions are taken at this stage of preparation canfurther reduce the risk of food poisoning, especially in warmerweather.

First and foremost, always have at least two plates at thegrill. One should hold the raw meat, and the other should be fortaking it away once it has been cooked. Replacing food on a platethat held the raw meat drastically increases the risk ofcontamination, replacing the bacteria that was just cooked out ofthe food on the grill.

Similarly, do not use the same marinade that was used on the rawmeat to baste the meat once on the grill. Set aside some of themarinade that has not been contaminated for basting if you want toadd some flavor to the food safely.

Cooking food thoroughly may seem obvious, but undercooked meatscan severely increase the risk of food poisoning. Although you maythink you know what fully cooked meat looks like, a thermometer isthe only way to tell if it is done. Use a thermometer to measuretemperatures at the thickest part. Poultry should be cooked to165°F, while ground beef, lamb, veal, or pork and sausages shouldbe cooked to at least 160°F. For beefsteaks, lamb and pork chops,as well as seafood, 145°F should do the trick. Let these meats restfor three minutes before serving at this temperature to get rid ofbacteria.

For those that like their meat to be less well-done, there areways to make sure that it is prepared as safely as possible. Forburgers, in particular, asking the butcher to grind the meat froman inside cut an help reduce the amount of bacteria, especiallyconsidering packaged ground meats often come from cuts that containmore bacteria.

At the Party: Temperature Control Outdoors

One of the most basic rules of thumb for keeping food safe forparty guests is that hot foods should be kept hot and cold foodsshould be kept cold.

The window between 40°F and 140°F is often called “the dangerzone,” because between these temperatures bacteria are able toproliferate. The more quickly bacteria grows only increases therisk of guests getting sick. In order to keep perishable foods fromentering the danger zone, monitor the temperature of food, andeither keep it on ice or heat it to avoid entering the risky“danger zone.”

When it is hot outside, this is especially important because“room temperature” corresponds to the temperature outside, which isespecially dangerous if temps reach more than 90°F. The USDArecommends that hosts never leave food un-chilled for more than twohours, but if the weather is 90°F or hotter, hosts should limit thefood exposure to one hour without refrigeration or heat.

For popular picnic foods, including potato salad, macaroni salador grilled meats, keeping them on ice, in warming trays or inside,if possible, is best for minimizing health risks.