Clean - Separate - Cook - Chill

CLEAN
Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can spread and get onto cutting boards, utensils, and sponges.

• Whenever possible, wash your hands with hot, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets.
• When eating away from home, find out if there's a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean, wet, disposable washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.
• Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go to the next food.
• Use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards. Run through the dishwasher or wash in hot soapy water after use. If you are picnicing, store dirty dishes in separate storage bags or coolers. Do not place dirty dishes in areas that contain food.
• Consider using paper towels to clean up surfaces. Avoid using sponges.

• Cold refrigerated perishable food like luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water.
• Consider packing canned beverages in one cooler and perishable food in another cooler because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently.
• Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car, and place in the shade or shelter, out of the sun, whenever possible.
• Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as soon as it starts melting.
• If a cooler chest is not an option, consider taking fruits, vegetables, hard cheeses, canned or dried meats, dried cereal, bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bottle of refreshing beverage.
• Take-out food: If you don't plan to eat take-out food within 2 hours of purchase, plan ahead and chill the food in your refrigerator before packing for your outing.
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
• Do not pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe.

Have leftovers?

Any food left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours may not be safe to eat. Suring the summer, at temperatures of 90 °F or above, food should not be left out for more than 1 hour. Be safe; place leftovers back on ice once you finish eating.

Always remember ........ When in doubt, throw it out!!!!!!!!

 

The summer months are a time for fun. However, no matter how involved we become in the joys and thrills of summer, it is most important to always make safety our #1 priority.

 

 

 

 

 

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About sun exposure

Excessive sun exposure over time can be harmful to the skin because the sun emits an invisible form of radiation called ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The UV rays present in sunlight can penetrate the skin and alter the structure of its cells. The ultraviolet radiation received from sun exposure is also present in the light exposure received from sun lamps and tanning beds.

The three types of UV radiation include:

• Ultraviolet A (UVA). The most abundant source of solar radiation at the surface of the earth, UVA rays can penetrate beyond the surface of the skin (epidermis) to the middle layer of skin (dermis).

Although everyone is at risk for sun damage, the following factors increase an individual’s likelihood of sustaining damage, particularly skin cancer:

• Fair skin
• Light-colored eyes
• Light-colored hair
• Lack of sunscreen protection
• Having had one or more serious sunburns
• Many moles, birthmarks or freckles
• Playing or working outdoors
• Frequent sun exposure during childhood
• Personal or family history of skin cancer
• Frequent tanning or use of sun lamps or tanning beds
• Living in a tropical or subtropical climate
• Living at high altitudes

Taking certain medications, including specific forms of antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, diuretics, sulfonylureas and immunosuppressants, can also increase the risk of sun damage by increasing photosensitivity (sun sensitivity) and burning.

It is recommended that individuals have regular physical examinations by a dermatologist to detect or determine the risk of skin cancer and other damage.

• Sunburn. Excessive acute sun exposure may result in sunburn, which is characterized by redness of the skin that may be accompanied by dryness, swelling, pain or tenderness, blistering, nausea and/or fever.
  
  
• Premature aging. Excessive sun exposure over time can lead to skin changes known as photoaging. Individuals who sunbathe regularly often show signs of photoaging prior to 30 years of age, whereas individuals with less sun exposure typically exhibit changes at 40 years of age or older. These photoaging changes may include:
  
  
  • Weakening of the skin’s connective tissues (solar elastosis), which results in reduced strength and elasticity
    
    
  • Thinning and increased transparency of the skin
    
    
  • Deep wrinkles
    
    
  • Rough, dry skin
    
    
  • Uneven pigmentation
    
    
  • Fine, red veins on the nose, cheeks and ears
    
    
  • Freckles (mainly on the face)
    
    
  • Macules or solar lentigines (also called age or liver spots) on the upper back, chest, arms, back of hands and face
    
    
  • Dark brown lesions on the lips (labial lentigos)
    
    
• Purpura. Excessive sun exposure can cause a person to bruise more easily.
  
  
• Comedones. Exposure to the sun may lead to the formation of blackheads and whiteheads in sun damaged areas.
  
  
• Benign skin tumors. Excessive sun exposure can also result in the formation of several types of skin lesions. Seborrheic keratoses are tan, brown or black lesions that vary in size and have a waxy appearance and are noncancerous.  Actinic, or solar keratoses, are patches that range from brown to dark pink in color and appear rough and scaly. Actinic keratoses are often considered precancerous.
  
  
• Skin cancer. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive sun exposure (including severe sunburns) over time appears to be the most significant environmental factor in the development of skin cancer. It affects one out of every five Americans, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This disease typically affects the areas that receive the most sun exposure, including the face, ears, neck, forearms and hands.
  

• Sun sensitivity (photosensitivity). For some individuals, exposure to the sun may result in an allergic reaction. Signs of sun allergy may include bumps on the skin, hives, blisters or blotchy, red areas. Certain cosmetics, perfumes and medications may also make individuals sensitive to sun exposure.
  
  
• Immunological problems. Regardless of an individual’s susceptibility to sunburns, sun exposure can suppress the immune system and increase an individual’s vulnerability to infection and cancers. Diseases that affect the immune system (e.g., herpes simplex virus, lupus) can become worse with exposure to sun.
  
  
• Eye damage. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation may burn the cornea of the eye and increase the risk of developing a cataract (condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy). It may also cause macular degeneration, the deterioration of part of the retina of the eye, which may result in blindness.