Next time you make a purchase at one of Denver’s farmers markets, buy a snack at a summer festival, or invite the family over for a cookout, you could be putting more in your mouth than your favorite potato salad.

As temperatures rise, so do incidences of foodbourne illness, like E. coli and salmonella, says Linda Daniels, RD, CDE, a dietitian with Kaiser Permanente Colorado. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimates 76 million people in the United States contract foodbourne illnesses each year. Daniels offers seven summer food safety tips to help ensure you’re not one of them.

“The reasons behind an increase in foodbourne illness in the summer are twofold,” Daniels says. “First, bacteria grows faster when the weather is hot and humid. Second, people can cause an upswing in foodbourne illness. As people take part in more outdoor activities, they don’t usually have the safety controls that a kitchen provides – thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration, and washing facilities.”

• Scrub it up. You may be tempted to bite into that apple as you walk away from the fruit stand, but resist the urge until you’ve had a chance to wash the produce and your hands. “Wash fruits and vegetables with a small brush and cut away damaged or bruised areas – that’s where bacteria can thrive,” Daniels says. If you plan to eat with your fingers, pack the antibacterial hand sanitizer.
   
• Separate meats and produce. “Whether shopping at a farmer’s market, or at a grocery store, keep meats separate from produce,” Daniels advises. “It prevents the spread of bacteria between food.” To transport meat, package it in plastic wrap, sealable plastic bags or leak-proof plastic containers to avoid cross-contaminating other food. When it comes time to kick off the cookout, wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards used to prep the raw meat before using them again for cooked food.
   
• Note dangers in the details. Does the vendor handle money with the same hand he uses to handle your food? Are flies swarming the relish bar at the hot dog stand? Is the ice cream server not wearing gloves? If so: steer clear. Also, be aware of the environment where the food is served. “Food should be kept off the ground, sheltered by overhead cover, and kept separate from chemicals,” says Daniels.
   
• Skip the samples. Do you really want to taste the salsa that dozens of people have already dipped their chips (and fingers) in? “If you’re at the bottom of the bin, or if samples look stale, it’s best to avoid them,” Daniels says.
   
• Keep it chill. Don’t let that mayo-laden potato salad hang out on the picnic table for more than an hour, and promptly hit the refrigerator after purchasing cold foods. Meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and other perishables should be stored at 40 F or below for proper food safety. “Keep food cold by bringing along a portable cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs to the market,” Daniels notes.
   
• Rethink pink. “You can’t carry around a thermometer at outdoor events, but you can keep an eye out for meat that looks undercooked,” Daniels says. If the burger is pink, you might want to rethink. Purchase burgers, hot dogs, and other hot foods served right off the grill – not from under a heat lamp. When grilling meats and poultry, cook to an internal temperature between 140 F and 160 F.
   
• Mind the leftovers. Don’t make tomorrow’s lunch a hazard by allowing bacteria to fester. “Don’t leave food setting out for longer than one hour,” Daniels recommends.

Test your summer food safety IQ at kp.org.