UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- If you plan to fire up the barbecue this summer, keep food safety in mind, especially if children will be eating grilled food, recommends a food safety expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"Food-borne illnesses skyrocket during barbecue season," says Dr. Stephen Knabel, associate professor of food science. "Cases of campylobacteriosis, giardiasis, salmonellosis and shigellosis peak between May and August, with the highest incidence among children 4 years old and younger.

"It's up to you to ensure safety by properly handling and cooking raw animal products and other foods that can harbor harmful bacteria, the major cause of food poisoning."

Symptoms of food-borne illness include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and fever. In healthy adults, symptoms usually last only a day or two. But infants and young children, as well as the elderly, pregnant women and people with impaired immune systems, can develop life-threatening complications.

Hamburger is particularly risky for carrying a strain of bacteria known as E. coli 0157: H57. In January 1993, three children died and more than 400 people became ill after eating undercooked ground beef contaminated with the bacteria.

Children who eat meat contaminated with E. coli 0157:H57 are at particular risk of developing kidney failure and a condition known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which can be fatal.

"If you feed a child uncooked or undercooked ground meat, you may be signing that child's death certificate," Knabel warns. "Even a tiny amount of this bacteria can contaminate a whole batch of ground beef. Treat raw meat, fish and poultry products as though they are contaminated, even though they may not be."

A good rule of thumb is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. "The optimum temperature range for bacterial growth is 60 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so leave meat and other foods in the cooler or refrigerator until you're ready to grill or eat them," Knabel says.

Proper cooking will kill harmful bacteria. "Cook hamburgers and other ground meat until the center no longer is pink and the juices run clear," Knabel says. "Never eat raw or undercooked ground meat, and discard raw or cooked meat that has been unrefrigerated for more than two hours."

Avoid cross-contamination. "When handling meat, keep juices from dripping on other foods and food containers," Knabel says. "It's a good idea to shape burgers ahead of time rather than handling raw ground beef at the barbecue site.

"Never place cooked meat or any other food on the same plate with raw meat. Any containers, cutting boards or utensils used to prepare raw meat for the outdoor grill should be washed before being used again. In addition, always wash your hands in warm, soapy water before and after handling meat."

Treat leftovers with caution. "Immediately refrigerate or chill perishable foods," Knabel says. "If hot or cold items remain outside for more than an hour, discard them. Eating them just isn't worth the risk to your health."

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Stephen Knabel at 814-863-1372 or sjk9@email.psu.edu.

Contacts: Eston Martz Eston_Martz@agcs.cas.psu.edu 814-863-3587 814-865-1068 fax