As family and friends continue to gather throughout the summer and food is served outdoors, there are some safety reminders to keep food items from making people sick.

ISU Extension Wellness and Nutrition Specialist Ann Parker reminds those hosting parties where food is outdoors of some time limits to ensure those are kept safe for consumption. She suggests not letting cold food stay out for longer than two hours, and for hot foods 4-6 hours. Parker describes the temperatures that cold foods should stay below 70-degrees fahrenheit. 

“If your cold food gets to 70-degrees it should really be thrown out. The danger zone for food  to kind of grow bacteria would be 70-degrees to 125, which is that perfect outdoor gathering weather.”

Parker talks about how quickly bacteria can grow on cold food if left unattended for long periods of time.

“That food is out at room temperature or warmer, the bacteria could double, triple or quadruple in very little time. And then that bacteria, if we eat it, could make us really sick.”   

Parker recommends keeping hot foods above 140-degrees and the ideal temperature for cold foods is around 40-degrees.