Boy Scouts of America

Keeping Your Food Safe

SUMMARY

Food-borne illnesses peak during the summer months due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures and improper food handling. Keep your meals and your Scouts safe while participating in hikes, campouts, and other outdoor activities with careful menu planning and by following safe food handling practices. Remember the three “C’s” to keep your food safe: Keep it COLD, keep it CLEAN, and COOK it thoroughly.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Acute gastroenteritis is the most common infectious disease encountered when camping. Symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps may begin to appear hours to days after ingestion.

Keep it cold: Bacteria are slow to grow in temperatures below 40 degrees F or above 140 degrees F. The temperature range in between is known as the danger zone where bacteria can multiply rapidly. Since a heat source is usually unavailable to transport foods, it’s best to start with perishable foods chilled or frozen, then packed with plenty of ice, frozen gel packs, or frozen juice boxes.

Keep it clean: Start with clean hands by utilizing soap and water or disposable wipes before handling food. Wash fruits and vegetables before cutting them on a clean surface. Avoid cross-contamination by never allowing raw meat, poultry, or their juices to come into contact with fresh or prepared foods. Keep all raw and cooked meat, poultry, or fish separate and always wash hands properly after handling. Use only a clean water source to wash hands, dishes, and fresh fruits and vegetables. If water is not available, properly using hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol can help to reduce the number of microbes in most situations. But hand sanitizer does not eliminate all germs. Correct hand washing remains the best way to prevent illnesses from being transmitted. Also, remember in the backcountry to follow recommended water treatment protocols when rehydrating food, cooking, or drinking.

Cook it thoroughly: Many Scouts are cooking on their own for the first time. It can be difficult to determine doneness of meat and poultry as color is not a good indicator. Meat can harbor dangerous bacteria. A digital meat thermometer is a good tool to have in the chuck box and to use when cooking meat, poultry, and fish. The references listed below provide safe minimum internal temperatures. Be sure to clean your thermometer between uses.

REFERENCES

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.