Keep your cool while packing your cooler!

Summer is in full swing. Many Mesa
County residents are using this time to partake in their favorite outdoor
activities, which often requires a meal or two away from home. Are you doing
your part to prevent foodborne illness this summer?

Packing the snack cooler for these
activities is an important step to keeping you and your family healthy. While
often forgotten, coolers can be a food safety hazard if not properly organized.
Similarly to a refrigerator, meat must be kept separate from other foods to
prevent cross contamination. Keep raw meat in a separate container or cooler
away from fruit and veggies.

Finally, keep your food out of the
danger zone. Take an extra cooler for drinks. A drink cooler will probably be
opened more often than a cooler filled with food, making it more difficult for
the internal temperature of the cooler to stay low. Limiting the number of
times a cooler is opened and keeping food surrounded by ice will help keep food
safe in the summer heat.

Pack a safe cooler: