Food spoils fast outside, unprotected

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Fourth of July is this weekend and some people are starting their holiday cookouts early. When you mix food with the heat and humidity of summer, an unseen risk is there.

"I've always been one of those people who tried to make sure that stuff was taken care of. Just because I don't want to get sick myself, but when I had kids it just kind of amplified everything," a parent on a picnic, John Simmons said.

Sarah James, a Dietitian from Regional Hospital said if food is not cooked hot enough, or cooled enough, bacteria is prone to grow. If the food is unprotected outside it is good for only an hour. Another reason to protect food is that birds and other animals can land on it or take it.

The causes of food spoilage are light, oxygen, heat, humidity, and animals or bugs, which are all found during the summer months.

There are different ways to check too see if the food has spoiled, such as touching, looking, smelling and tasting it.

Prevention is the key to keep food fresh to eat when outside.

"We keep food in their containers until we're ready to use it. We just came from the store when we came over here. If not, we'd have a cooler full of ice that we'd keep the stuff in it. We keep the dry stuff dry and the cooler stuff on ice," Simmons said.

Laying down table cloths and napkins can also prevent dirt or little bugs from getting on your meal. Bugs carry diseases and bacteria with them that can contaminate food.

"The last thing that I want to see is one of my kids being sick because of my oversight," Simmons said. "Pay attention to what they're eating and if they drop it, don't let them eat it. The five second rule doesn't really apply."

After a cookout or picnic put perishable food in the fridge once you get home, and keep other food in it's bags or containers for later snacks.