SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WHBL) -- Summer is here, and with brat fries and picnics on the way, you need to make sure your food is healthy and safe to eat.
County Health supervisor David Roettger says one of the best way to prevent food illnesses is to keep your food out of the danger zone. "Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods, once they've been cooked, you want to hold them at 135 degrees and above, with cold foods 41 degrees or below using ice as a method." He says that keeping hot foods in a nesco or crockpot will do the trick, or keeping your cold foods in a cooler with a good supply of ice. You should also make sure to prepare those foods safely by washing your hands and keeping meats away from veggies when preparing your food.
Roettger says that officials do investigate claims of food poisoning in the county, but that it can be hard to get a sense of how many people actually get ill each year. "Many times it's not reported, because a person may say it's just an upset stomach or something like that." He says that large outbreaks will get officials out to track down the source to make sure people aren't going to get sick again.
You can learn more online HERE at the county's website.