Don’t let poor food safety choices dampen your Memorial Day weekend barbecue.

This is the beginning of the grilling season for many, and Washington County Food Safety Specialist Jason Taylor says meat temperatures play a key role in avoiding the spread of bacterial diseases, “You want to make sure you get the temperature right for each different product that you’re serving, your steaks and any whole muscle cuts of beef, pork, or lamb is 145 degrees. If you get into any of the ground products, your hamburgers, brats, and all that, then it’s 155 for the temperature because that E. coli can be all through the product. And then for chicken products or turkey products it’s 165 for internal temperature.”

Taylor recommends a thin probe thermometer for monitoring meat temperatures. He also advises to dispose of any food sitting out in warm temperatures after four hours, as it can take that amount of time for bacteria to grow and cause food poisoning. You should also have a handwashing station near your food preparation area, and don’t place cooked meat on the same dish that was used for raw meat.