4 Tips To A Happy Tummy On The 4th

By Dr. Dave Hnida

DENVER (CBS4) -They still looked good, maybe a tad dry, but tasty nonetheless. But I knew those burgers and hot dogs had been sitting on the platter for more than a few hours. And during that time, thousands of germs had been microscopically growing like wildfire in those traditional July 4^th staples—and woe to the stomach that met them.

I said something to the cook, but got nothing more than a shrug. A shrug that could spell major league stomach distress in the days to come for a crowd of innocent eaters.

Holiday get-togethers are the perfect settings for food poisoning, mainly because we tend to forget some basic rules about food safety.

Sure, you might be able to get away with it sometimes, but then again, you might also win the lotto every week.

Here are some basics to keep in mind:

A food may look, smell, and taste just fine--- yet it could be teeming with germs. Taking a sniff just won't cut it.

Then try to remember the four basics:

Clean- wash your hands vigorously before, during, and after each stage of food prep. We don't want your germs.

Separate- don't reuse plates, platters and utensils--- and don't mix and match anything that's raw with cooked (or a food that doesn't need to be cooked). You don't want cross-contamination.

Cook well, and serve well. In other words, keep cold foods cold, and hot foods hot. At least 140 degrees for the cooked, and 40 degrees for the cold.

Exposure to room or air temperature for not more than two hours… and cut that to one hour if the outside temp is hotter than 90. And when cooking, remember that meat thermometer. Clear juices does NOT mean fully cooked. Ground beef should hit 160 degrees internally, and poultry at least 160 degrees.

Chill- when done with food, or you're nearing that two hour mark—store that food in the freezer or fridge for another time. And be sure to use shallow containers so food chills quickly.

Bottom line: have fun, celebrate, and eat hearty. Just try not to pay for July 4^th on the 5^th, 6th, 7^th or 8^th.

Happy Birthday, America!

Dr. Dave Hnida is CBS4's Medical Editor. He blogs about the latest studies and trends in the health world. Read his latest blog entries, check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @drdavehnida