The summer grilling season is upon us, and a local food safety expert is offering some annual reminders to keep those foodborne illnesses out of sight and out of mind.

For many households, grills are coming out of sheds or garages after months of storage. Caitlin Mellendorf, Nutrition Educator with the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties emphasizes before any cooking begins, the grill must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and debris. 

The first step, cleaning, requires washing hands with soap and water. Mellendorf is stressing the importance of handwashing - especially critical when transitioning between separate kitchen tasks, such as switching from preparing side salads to handling raw meats.

The second pillar focuses on separating raw meats from other items to avoid cross-contamination. Mellendorf warns that raw chicken or ground beef must stay completely isolated from utensils, cutting boards, and ready-to-eat foods. 

We'll have more with Mellendorf later this week about making sure those cooking surfaces are also a safe zone, as an unclean or unscraped cooking surface can also cause problems when dealing with different proteins. 

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is available toll-free at 1-888-MPHotline, or 1-888-674-6854. You can also email MPHotline@usda.gov, or a live chat option is available via www.ask.usda.gov

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is manned weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm ET.