It’s that time of year when consumers typically experience increased media attention to food safety, as most foodborne pathogens grow fastest at summertime temperatures and high humidity. Further, improper outdoor cooking practices, such as undercooking of meat, exposing raw meat to the elements and cross-contamination, increase the likelihood that harmful microorganisms will proliferate.
Indeed, given the right circumstances, harmful bacteria can quickly multiply in food, going undetected by the human eye. Consuming large numbers of these microorganisms can result in food poisoning, and depending upon the severity, the malady can be fatal.