Summertime and the livin' is easy, but we still have to pay close attention to food storage and preparation.
There are some basics when it comes to food and food handling during these summer months.
"At the very top of the list is clean. So starting with keeping your hands really clean, washing your hands thoroughly in plenty of soap and running water and doing it frequently throughout the cooking process," said Castle Medical Center nutritionist Ruby Hayasaka.
Cleanliness doesn't stop with your hands, though.
"And along with keeping your hands clean is keeping the counter, the cutting board, and the knife that your using and other utensils. And from that it goes to keeping raw food, like raw meat separate from the cooked meat and the unwashed produce separate from ones that you already have washed and ready to use," Hayasaka said.
Getting ready to fix the meal is one thing. Making sure the food has been properly stored is another.
"Food service people talk about the danger zone. And the danger zone ranges from 40 degrees to 140 degrees. So when you're storing food, ready to eat food, perishable food - you want to make sure the food is either hot or cold, not in between in that danger zone," Hayasaka said.
It's a given that we like our food in Hawaii, but we have to be careful because a lot of that food is consumed outdoors.
"So if you're at the beach and you've had a picnic and it's hot out there and you have food, it's a good idea to bring out just a little at a time, keep most of it in the ice chest," Hayasaka said.
Obviously, not all of our dining is done outside. Dining at a restaurant or at a friend's house where food is sent home with you, Ruby says it's important to remember the two hour rule - no matter what, don't save that food longer than that without refrigeration.
"If there's any doubt, throw it out. Really, there are bacteria that you cannot taste or see. So the only way you can really tell food is safe is by temperature and by knowing how long it's been out," Hayasaka said.
