Community Corner

Don't Poison Your Party Guests

Foodbourne illness can be a serious problem during the summer BBQ season.

With summer in full swing and the Fourth of July here, cases of foodborne illnesses are surging.

These are the facts:

  • Incidents of food poisoning surge over the summer months because bacteria multiply faster when it’s warm
  • Americans spend $400 million on beef alone for July 4th barbeques
  • USDA research shows that 1 out of every 4 hamburgers turns brown before it has reached a safe internal temperature
  • New FDA research done in collaboration with USDA shows that only 23% of Americans who own a food thermometer actually use it when grilling hamburgers
  • 48 million Americans (at least 1 in 6) will get sick from foodborne illness this year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths

There are lots of tips about how to avoid these health threats in the infograph above. For more information, go to FoodSafety.gov and check out our ‘Ask Karen’ app, available in English (m.AskKaren.gov) and Spanish (m.PregunteleaKaren.gov), to get access to more than 1,300 answers to food safety questions.

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And for some delicious grill and picnic recipes—now that you know how to keep the food safe—.


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