Food safety: Keeping the crap out of camping

Memorial Day signifies the unofficial kickoff for outdoor activities like camping. Camping can either be a flurry of fun and adventure, or a miserable few days of getting sick in the bushes and being dehydrated. Every summer, thousands of people set out on these camping adventures, and every summer, many become stricken with foodborne illnesses or a parasitic infection. Some of the most common culprits include norovirus, E. coli O157:H7, Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia duodenalis. Such illnesses are not limited to the occasional outdoor excursion; there are many recorded outbreaks at children’s summer camps. In 2007 norovirus struck down dozens of children and staff members in Three Rivers, MI at a local summer camp. Such outbreaks are not new; in 1994 E. coli O157:H7 infected multiple people at a summer camp in Virginia. Since children are more susceptible to these illnesses than adults, it’s especially important that when camping with children care is taken to prevent infection. The most frequent sources of these bugs are improperly cooked meat, cross contamination and contaminated water. Basic camping food safety is similar to kitchen food safety. It’s important to keep meat in the cooler below 40°F. To maintain a low temperature, store the food in a large cooler, in the shade and away from the campfire. Be sure to load up with plenty of ice. Avoid opening the large cooler by storing drinks in a smaller cooler. Make sure meat is packaged properly by putting it in …