With sunny skies and a three-day weekend many people will be taking part in picnics and barbecues, but remember to keep food safety in mind.

Food inspector Jason Taylor with Washington County Environmental Health says maintaining temperatures for food is important to avoid food-borne illness, “Make sure you separate your meat products from your fully cooked products. And possibly use a second cooler if you can, and pack it real well in ice to maintain, you want to be 41 degrees or below on all your meat products and your ready to eat foods that aren’t hot.” Taylor adds, it takes about four hours for bacteria in food to grow and become toxic for people to eat. He says if you don’t have a way to maintain the food temperature or keep it cool after your meal, then it may be best to dispose of any leftovers.