Virginia officials share food safety tips ahead of Memorial Day and summer

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is urging Virginians to practice food safety as Memorial Day approaches and the weather warms for summer.

In a Thursday morning release, the department shared its main tips for those with Memorial Day and summer cookout plans.

“Cookouts are a great way to enjoy Virginia grown foods while appreciating the state’s natural beauty and warm weather – but always keep food safety top of mind,” said Pamela Miles, Program Manager for the Office of Dairy and Foods. “Keep surfaces clean to avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to the proper temperature, and never let food sit out longer than is safe.”

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The following are the tips to use to protect your families and friends and avoid food-borne illnesses:

• Keep a clean grill: Clean your grill with soap and water before the cookout. Once you turn it on, let the heat burn off any remaining bacteria before putting food on the grill.
• Store safely before cooking: Store raw meats in sealed containers at the bottom of a cooler before cooking. This prevents their juices from contaminating other foods.
• Never mix raw and cooked meats, poultry or seafood: Use separate utensils, plates and cutting boards when handling raw foods vs. cooked foods and never place cooked food onto a plate that held raw meat, poultry or seafood.
• Cook to safe temperatures: Color, look or time are not reliable enough to indicate when the food is finished cooking. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature:
  • Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145 F
  • Seafood (fish and shellfish): 145 F
  • Ground beef, pork, lamb and veal: 160 F
  • Poultry (whole and ground): 165 F
• Avoid the Danger Zone: Don’t let perishable foods reach temperatures where illness-causing bacteria can grow -- between 40 and 140 F. Foods can only sit out two hours, or one hour in heat above 90 F. After this time, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold with the help of chafing dishes, a preheated grill and coolers with ice.

A report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy showed that, in 2024 alone, the U.S. witnessed a spike in foodborne illnesses, with hospitalizations and deaths more than doubling. Hospitalizations rose from 230 in 2023 to 487 in 2024, and deaths increased from eight to 19, according to the center.

To find more information about food safety, visit VDACS’ website.