Tips for a happy Canada Day

In July, millions of Canadians will celebrate Canada Day. The holiday will find many enjoying time outdoors with family and friends, often with picnics, barbecues, and grilling. Keep your holiday celebrations safe with these food safety tips from Steritech’s experts. Happy Canada Day!

Click here for a PDF version of this data

• Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meats or using the restroom. No soap and water available? Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Hot foods should be eaten within two hours of being prepared.
• Cold foods should be kept on ice and in a cooler. Don’t let them sit out for more than 2 hours. If it’s extremely hot outside, reduce that time to 1 hour.
• Keep foods covered to protect them from contamination by pests. Flies and other pests can spread pathogens to foods.
• Never use the same plate or cutting board for raw and cooked products.
• Use separate tongs or spatulas for raw and cooked items.
• Always cook meats, poultry, seafood, hot dogs, and sausages to safe minimum internal temperatures.
• Use a meat thermometer – don’t guess or go by colour to gauge if food is cooked.